


Beneath

by toxicgothbroth



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Blood and Gore, Bondage, Horror, M/M, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Old Gods, Whump, i hate the ocean, noncon or dubcon, this is mostly stuff that scares me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-04-24 22:12:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 30,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14364774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toxicgothbroth/pseuds/toxicgothbroth
Summary: Lance wakes up from a college nap to find that the world was submerged almost 100 years before. He is picked up by a young man who knows how the world works but not what happened to the world. Lance begins to question what happened to him when he wakes up back in his dorm and wonders what is real and what is a dream.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on reoccurring nightmares I have. Feel free to comment. I can't improve if I don't know what sucks! Also, sorry about how wordy this story is. I'm very invested in the images.

Beneath

Lance wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep, but when he woke he was sure it must have been quite a while since he was clearly not in the same place he had been upon falling asleep. The suns overhead were warm and glaring, draping the rocking and swaying cot beneath him in a suffocating heat. Lance took pause and he blinked. Two suns? That wasn't how he had left the sun when he laid down for a nap. Terror filled him and he bolted upright, knocking the boat to the left a bit causing a disgruntled noise to escape the other passenger. The other man in the boat turned back and eyed him wearily, but didnt imeadiately say anything. He just stared at lance then turned back around and began to row the boat along again. Lance panted slightly as he looked around, confused more than he had ever been. Where was he?   
"Where am I" Lance asked and the other man, not bothering to turn around again, said, " In my boat." Lance scowled hard at him and asked, "And where is your boat at exactly?" His voice was harsher than he had meant it to be, but the heat and humidity were begining to get to him. The other man growled lightly and Lance could tell he was scowling.   
"Its in the ocean, between what used to be mountains. I don't know which range. That knowledge was lost when the continents were submerged." He said, his voice sounding almost sad. Lance opened his mouth to speak, feeling a bit angry but finding he didn't have a good retort. He sighed and istead asked, "What do you mean when the continents were submerged? and why am I on your boat?" Finally, the other man turned his head.   
Before aknowleding what he said, Lance had to take a moment to finally take in his appearance. This boy was rugged. Lance looked him up and down and took note of several aspects. His skin, while pale, was still sunkissed, and his hair was long and slightly disheveled. Lance could tell that even if it was kind of a wind blown mess, he took care of the dark locks. His eyes were a very dark shade of blue grey and his face was set in an almost perminant scowl. He didn't seem mean, but more discontent and full of some kind of struggle. This concerned Lance but he knew he probably wouln't ask about his life since Lance was probably being kidnapped. Probably.  
The man's clothes were worn out but not nasty, much like his hair. Lance realized that this man was very intent on taking care of himself but, under whatever his circumnstances were, was limited quite a bit.  
Next, Lance's eyes traveled to his arms which were bare and marred with various scars, bruises, and cuts. Some cuts were long, others were short, but they were numerous and varied. Lance couldn't help but wonder how he could have gotten them. Another question he was sure he wouldn't ask.  
"You are on my boat because I found you floating in the water. You could have died doing that." The man said and turned away.  
"Thanks..." Lance said, "Sooo... What happened to the continents and the sun for that matter?" The man groaned loudly.  
"Do you ever stop talking?" He asked and Lance shook his head.  
"Nope. Now what happ.." Lance responded, beginning, before he was interuppted with a loud groan.  
"You are seriously making me regret picking you out of the water." He said and sighed.  
"I don't like to talk about what happened. I wasn't alive then. My father told me that one day something angry and dark wrapped around the sun, tearing it in two before decending to the earth as a strange grey rain where it filled the oceans and submerged the world. Now it sleeps under the water." He said, his voice full fo a slight fear. Lance felt his heart beat quicken slightly. The man had sasid that with such a conviction that Lance felt inclined to believe him, but logically he knew this couldn't be. This man couldn't be much older than Lance himself and before Lance woke up here he was sure he had been taking a nap in his college dorm room before the start of his night classes. How could the world have changed so much in a matter of thirty minutes or less? Lance shook his head. Things weren't adding up, but he chose to not voice his concerns. If this guy was telling the truth like he sure as hell sounded, then something awful had happened and everyone he knew was dead. If this guy was lying then he had been kidnapped and dragged out to a remote lake or island or whatever. Either way, this guy was dangerous and Lance wasn't keen on irking his ire.

Time passed slowly. The man rowed the boat, the long pole in his hands pushing againt the rocky terrain beneath him. Lance just sat weirdly quietly in the little boat with his knees drawn to his chest as sweat dripped down his body and began to soak his clothes slightly. The day inched on in an almost opressing silence. The only sound coming from a far off cicada cry. It lulled Lance and he began to nod off before he was thrown to the floor of the boat, a small yelp escaping his lips before his mouth was covered by a calloused hand and a thick, handmade tarp tossed over them. Lance squirmed and writhed free of the man's grip, quite angry and a little nervous at the rough treatment.  
"What the fuck man!" Lance cried out a bit before he was silenced agian.  
"Shush!" The man said and Lance clamped his mouth shut. The man repositioned them, where Lance was pressed underneith him against the floor of the small, shallow boat. All was quiet including the hum of the cicadas for a few minutes until something landed on the boat. Lance gasped as the large creature's clawed feet gripped the wooden edges of the boat. The man quickly covered Lance's mouth again to silence his panicked breathing. Any breath could give them away.  
The bird thing that landed could be seen through the thin fabric of the tarp, not well, but it was enough for Lance to begin to shake in fear. This thing was revolting. It had large wings that looked as though it were made of ink or mud and they dripped excess onto the boat. The bits melting from the bird's body were rancid in smell. Lance had never smelled anything dead, but he somehow knew that this burning, oily, sour odor was what decay smelled like. The bird cawed out, sending a shiver down Lance's already shaking form. The voice was deep and raspy. Lance had nothing to compare it to, but he found himself thinking that this must be what the lungs of every dying smoker sounded like when used together. It was sickly, and grating, its vocal cords trying but clearly rotting away inside its putrid, dead body. It shrieked again making Lance jump and rock the boat a bit. The bird turned in their direction and looked straight down at the tarp. Lance held his breath as creature leaned in close, sniffing and panting. He grew so close that Lance could smell his breath, could taste it on his tongue and almost gagged. His mouth and nose grew dry from the hot, stinking air that the bird breathed onto his body. It was a vile and wet mixture that turned Lance's stomach and made the bile come into his mouth. Even that tasted better than the poisoned air this creature created.  
Then, suddenly, it looked away sharply. Their was a beat of silence before it let out a small, angry squeak then lifted into the air. Neither Lance nor the man dared move for a few minutes as they floated along between the masses of land. Finally, the man moved off of Lance, throwing the tarp off of them and Lance pulled in a breath sharply. His whole body was shaking from fear he didn't know was possible to feel. He gasped and sputtered as the man, calmly went back to rowing. Lance wanted to cry.  
"What...What the Fuck... Was that?" Lance asked and the man turned around to face him, his expression was one of confusion. Genuine confusion.  
"You've never seen a scout before?" He asked and Lance shook his head.  
"No! The fuck I haven't! What's going on?" Lance yelled and the man brought up his hand in a quieting motion.  
"Please keep quiet. It isn't far off and could still hear you!" The man ordered and Lance growled then took a very needed deep breath.  
"What. Is going on?" He asked quieter, but still very forceful. The man just looked at him for a long moment.  
"You really don't know?" He asked, clearly perplexed. Lance grit his teeth, wanting nothing more than to yell.  
"No. I do not." Lance said, balling his hands into fists. The man just stared at him quite shocked, before his face returned to its stoic seriousness ad he sighed.  
"It's getting late. We should set up camp before we discuss anything." He said and Lance closed his mouth. Obviously this really wasn't his world and he had to trust the man who had just saved his life.  
~~~  
Lance wasn't much help with setting up camp. Not only was he not the outdoorsy type, but he couldn't stop his hands from trembling so he couldn't hold onto anything without inevitably dropping it. The man rolled his eyes and told him to just sit down and rest. Lance didn't argue.  
Eventually, the camp was set up complete with a roaring fire, a cooking pot, and a large imprompto tent. Lance had to admit that this guy was certainly good at what he did. Once everything had been completed the man made himself comfortable on the ground beside Lance and began to cook with what little ingredients he had found on the island and with what he already had. There was a long expectant silance before the man spoke.  
"My name is Keith. I was born after the collapse when it was fully asleep. I don't actually know what it is, just that it exists and that it consumes everything it can. All the animals left know that the creatuer or its servants will eventually get them. There is no dying of old age. There is dying of middle age or less." The newly named Keith explained. Lance nodded.  
"Care to explain that bird... thing?" Lance asked, still clearly shaked. Keith sighed.  
"We call that a scout because it looks for living things like us and drags them below the water. Its body is made of some kind of tar I guess and it can absorb you into its flesh before taking you under the water." Keith explained.  
"Why... Why does it smell like that? Sounds like... that..."Lance asked, trailing away. the memory of the decaying body ethed into his vision. Keith put a calming hand on his shoulder.  
"I don't know. No one does. I was told that the thing that split the sun's only goal was to absorb all life in any way possible. That it was some kind of old god who was angered at being forgotten and was getting revenge by forcing sacrafices. The scouts are just one part of its body. Some kind of...bastardization that it created from the many corpses it absorbed, but nobody really knows." Keith explained. Lance nodded. He could easily see how that abomination could have been a mixure or dead flesh being puppeted around by an angry god.  
"Wait..." Lance said, "Did you say that te bird was just... like one of many?" Keith nodded.  
"Yeah, the servants. There are so many different kinds that all do different things. You met the Scout, but there is also the Predator, the Watcher, and the Parasite. Maybe a few more. Hopefully you'll never meet the others. Some are that lucky." Keith explained. Lance's heart sank a bit. There were more. He shivered as thought he was cold and wrapped his arms around his knees. Keith eyed him down for several minutes, the fire flame flickering and casting a warm and welcoming glow to his dirty face.  
"How is it that you don't know this?" Keith asked and Lance looked at him, this time it was his turn to be confused.  
"I don't really know to be honest. The last thing I remember was finishing up some class work I had due and laying down for a nap. I was tired because I had an essay over theoretical physics that we had discussed. I didn't have another class for like five hours and my room mate was out so I just went to sleep. Next thing I know, I'm in your boat." Lance explained. He glanced at Keith who looked at him as though he had grown a few extra heads.  
"You okay?" Lance asked, chuckling slightly. Keith just stared at him before asking, "Were you in a school?" Lance nodded.  
"If you were in a univerity then you've been alive since before the split of the sun!" Keith almost yelled, leaning forward towards Lance.  
"You have to be almost 100!" Keith exclaimed leaning into Lance's space more. Lance leaned away, suddenly uncomfortable.  
"Um... No. I'm like 22." Lance interjected and Keith glared.  
"You can't possibly be younger than me." Keith growled and the leaned back into his own space. Lance eased back into his own space. Neither spoke for a time until Keith said, "I'm heading to sleep. Nights are usually peaceful." Lance nodded but decided to stay by the fire. He knew you shouldn't leave it unattended at the very least. Plus, Lance wasn't sure he was comfortable enough with Keith to share a make shift tent with him yet.  
The night seemed to last longer than usual and Lance found himself drifting off again. His head bobbed up and down as he fought to stay awake. The sounds of the night acted as a sedative and whispered him into a slumber that he tried hard not to succumb to. He very soon lost as the soft waves crashed against the shore, singing to him like a lullaby, and he fell asleep.  
immeadiately he was awake though by a sharp stinging pain, worse than any other pain he had ever felt, hit him and he was drug across the beach. Lance screamed loud in fear and in pain as he was drug towards the dark and inky water. In his panic, LAnce grabbed a log from the fire and hit at what had his leg. A loud hiss that sounded like a mix between a cat and a crocodile, met his ears, but he was still in its grasp. Lance flailed and beat at the terrifying, slimy, glass toothed beast with the charred log but it just growled and sank its teeth in more, dragging him closer to the water. Lance began to cry and claw at the dirt in fear when Keith came to his rescue and speared the monster through the throat. It shrieked and hissed and growled all at the same time in a strange cacophony of fear inducing sound. Lance covered his ears and screamed until Keith placed a hand on him. Instantly, Lance threw himself into Keith's chest sobbing.  
"Lance, you're safe from the Predator, but you aren't safe completely yet." Keith said and without much warning to Lance, LAnce began to choke and seize up. Keith inhaled sharply and pushed lance down into the dirt, flat against his back. He pulled a knife from his belt and began to cut away the fabric of the damaged area.  
"Lance, youv'e been poisoned. I have to cauterize the wound before it can infect more flesh. This will be very, very painful, but you will live." Keith explained. Lance was completely unresponsive aside from the sobbing and shaking. KEith frowned and ran back up the bank a bit and grabbed the boiling water he had set up to cook in. He swallowed hard.  
"I'm so sorry Lance." Keith said then poured the boilig water over the affected area. Lance shrieked before passing out completely.  
Then LAnce woke up.  
He looked around and everything was familiar. The white walls of the dorm, the raised view from his daybed, the organized style that belonged to his roommate. He was back in his college dorm room. Lance peeked out the window and saw only one single sun. Lance sighed and looked around, feeling familiar but out of place.  
"Guess it was just a dream or something..." Lance said. ignoring the slight pain in his lower right calf.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance goes about his day at his college and talks to his buds about his weird dream.

Beneath Chapter Two

Lance scratched his head, very confused. He shrugged his shoulders a bit deciding that it really was a dream, but the distinct pain in his lower leg made a small voice rise in his head and say otherwise. Still, he had class. So, he got dressed and left the room.  
He arrived in class on time easily and sat down next to his best friend and roommate, Hunk. The boy smiled at him and held up his hand for a high five which Lance happily returned.  
"Hey, Buddy! How was anatomy?" Lance asked, taking his seat. Hunk groaned.  
"We had to disect a cat, Lance! A cat!" Hunk exclaimed, tears welling in his eyes. Lance smiled slightly and embraced his distressed friend.  
"It's okay Hunk, buddy. I know its stressful, but all these cats were humainly sourced. They lived good, long cat lives and died peacfully before being donated for science." Lance explained. He wasn't entirely sure if that was true, but at least he could help his best friend. Hunk wiped his eyes and looked at Lance.  
"Is that true?" Hunk asked and Lance nodded. Hunk smiled slightly and leaned back in his seat.   
"I guess thats okay then." He said and Lance leaned back too.  
"So, how was your nap?" Hunk asked and LAnce froze. "It had to have been better than my anatomy class, am I right?" Hunk joked and Lance chuckled lightly.  
"Yeah..." He said and looked away. His leg throbbed angrilly as though he had actually been attacked and burned. Hunk looked at him, suddenly concerned.  
"Hey, you okay?" Hunk asked, patting Lance on the back a bit. Lance leaned in and rest his head against Hunk's shoulder sighing.   
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just had a really weird and vivid dream." Lance said.  
"What kind of dream?" Hunk asked and Lance turned towards him, mouth open, but before he could say anything a sharp voice yelled, " McClain! Face forward!" Lance spun back around in his chair and faced the front. He glanced at Hunk and whispered, "I'll tell you later." Hunk nodded and then class began.  
Lance was never fond of math, but advanced trigonometry, he decided, was his least favorite of all. The teacher, whilst very strict, was good about her methods and held tutoring classes on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Lance was sure after all the stuff she was throwing at him he would need to attend, so after the class was over, he made a calendar reminder in his phone so that he would go and get help. If he failed this class, there was no way he would keep his status at valedictorian like he wanted. Once done, Lance put all his books and notes in his satchel then walked out of class to a waiting Hunk.  
"Boy! That was a hard lesson!" Lance said, sighing frustrated. Hunk nodded in agreement.  
"Yeah, but I'm sure you'll get it soon. You always do." Hunk encouraged and Lance smiled.  
"Thanks!" Lance said toothily, but he was still a bit anxious. He may have had good grades now, but it wasn't without hardships. None of the teachers liked him, and he struggled with the material constantly. His grades were a skin of his teeth situation. Naturally, Hunk saw right through his facade and pulled him in for a hug.  
"Hey, lets forget class for a bit. I know I don't have anything due tonight and I know you don't either cuz you finish everything early, so lets go see a movie and get dinner. We can even bring Pidge." Hunk offered and Lance smirked.  
"Yeah! Lets bring the Goblin! She probably hasn't slept in like a week, so she could definitely use a break too!" Lance exclaimed and whipped out his phone, already texting her. A minute later, she relied.  
"Pidge says she'll meet us a Benny's. She wants creole and we don't have a say." Hunk groaned. He wasn't fond of the heat that a good creole dish packed, but Lance didn't mind at all so he felt himself grow excited, washing away the weird anxieties the day had caused. He even, by this point, forgot about the strange and vivid dream. The pain in his leg nothing but an afterthought now.  
They all arived at Benny's about the same time. Pidge had been there about 5 minutes and had already ordered for all of them and was sitting at one of the tables. Lance liked Benny's because, even though they lived fairly far south in Florida, their little college town didn't have many restaurants like what he had back home. Plus, Benny's was a food truck and who didn't love the convience and talent that that a food truck had. Lance felt himself fill with excitement and he quickened his pace, hopping a bit in his steps. Hunk smiled at him and follwed close behind.  
"Hey Goblin! What's up?" Lance asked Pidge who was sucking down a soda. She looked up, ,flicking her short blonde hair away from her round glasses.  
" 'Sup, sapce geek." She responded, sucking another drag from the large cup. Lance smirked and slid in beside her, invading her personal space, and wrapping her in a hug.  
"How was hacking class?" Lance asked and Pidge rolled her eyes.  
"Its a computer programming class. Not hacking." Pidge explained and lance laughed.  
"You can say that all you want, but I know it was you who posted those pics of me sleeping drunk at that party online. You stole them right off of Hunk's phone! You hacked his phone and snatched them right up!" Lance complained. Pidge smiled and leaned into him.  
"If I did do that, it was because you deserved it for setting me up with that Angela girl. She ditched me that night for your work out friend." Pidge said. LAnce draped his arm over her shoulder and shrugged.  
"That's true." Lance agreed. Hunk sat down on the other side of Pidge about the same time their food arrived. They all began to scarf down the food Pidge had pciked, this being a huge helping of crawfish. After a couple minutes, Hunk said, " So, Lance," with a mouthful of food. Lance looked up, one crawfish in hand and potatoe in the other and hummed in aknowledgement.  
"What was that dream you were real upset about before?" Hunk said swallowing and Lance gasped, choking on the several dead sea creatures he had just stuffed in his face. Pidge laughed a bit and Hunk began to pat his shoulder.  
"Oh my gosh! You okay?" Hunk asked and Lance nodded wheezing a bit.  
"Yep," He replied, "Wrong pipe 'n all that." Lance croaked then chugged his soda. "I'm good buddy!" Hunk smiled and ruffled his hair, leaning back again and waiting expectantly. Lance sighed then began trying to explain.  
"So, it was really weird. I went to sleep then I woke up on a boat and there was a guy and we were almost eaten by a bird and then this huge lizard...or maybe it was a salamander? I dunno, but it had glass teeth and it tried to eat my leg, but the guy-He called himself Keith- stabbed it and now my leg hurts as if I really had been bitten by a giant goo lizard from the deep." Lance said and both Hunk and Pidge just stared at him.  
"Yeah... Sounds like a weird dream for sure." Hunk said rolling his eyes and Lance whinned.  
"You don't understand! Everything about if felt so real! I remember each detail as if I were really there! Like, the... the bird! It melted and smelled like roadkill! It had a gross voice like a lot of people all yelling at once! And that guy! We had full conversations about history and how the world changed! He said that the world flooded over a hundred years before he was born. It was crazy!" Lance exclaimed, flailing his arms about. Pidge ate a coule fries from her plate before saying, "Maybe it wasn't a dream then." Hunk just looked at her as he leaned against her hand.  
"Don't encourage him Pidge. He's gullible." Hunk said and Lance jabbed him lightly in the arm.   
"It's true Lance!" Hunk retorted.  
"No! But, for real, what do you mean?" Lance asked, leaning around Hunk's from who just groaned and rolled his eyes.  
"You are litterally an astrophysics major and you want me to give out theories?" She asked eating another handful of fries. Lance nodded.  
"Ugh... Fine. Just off the top of my head, it may have been an alternate reality, or actual time travel. Their could be a rip in time space in your room. Who knows. Could be magic too. Or maybe it really was just a dream. Lucid dreaming is a thing." Pidge explained. Lance sat back down in his chair.  
"You're making fun of me now aren't you?" He asked, feigning being hurt. Pidge nodded.  
"So am." She said. Lance snorted and then went straight back into eating.   
Once they finished their food, Hunk drove Lance back to their dorm. Hunk had a night class to study for so Lance was left alone to do whatever, so Lance decided to pick up a bit. He wasn't the tidiest person but his mother had instilled at least a bit of chore duty in him so he picked up his dirty clothes and dishes and deposited them in their destined places before flopping down on his bed and grabbing his computer. He checked his classes for coursework, found none due and decided to turn in early. Even with the nap, he felt particularly tired so he covered up, and after a minute, passed out.  
Then he woke up.  
Pain seared through his leg and he began to pant and groan. The humidity and heat perpetuated even in the hours before dawn. He looked around, his head foggy and realized where he was as the world wobbled and shifted. He was back on the boat.  
"Lance?" A voice asked and he looked over. It was Keith. Lance nodded and Keith leaned down beside him.  
"Lance, I know it hurts, but I'm taking you to someone who can help. She's a witch and can fix all of this." Keith said, lifting Lance into a sitting position. Lance choked and shook with pain but didn't fight it. Keith put a small cup to his lips and had him drink. It was water. Once the cup was empty, KEith laid Lance back down and brushed back his hair.  
"Don't worry. You'll be okay." Keith promised then rushed back to the front to paddle them along further.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More stuff happens in the next chapter. We meet some more characters from Voltron and learn a bit more about the world as it changes. I know this one was kind of slow, but itll pick up quick. Feel free to comment!


	3. Beneath - Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance wakes back up on the boat and they meet the witch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, not much happened here but we are getting to the stuff thats important

Beneath  
Lance couldn't seem to pass back out. The pain kept him in a strange state of dissociative conciousness where he drifted in a trance of awake and asleep. Time seemed to pass around him instead of him being an active participant. He watched the clouds move about above him in fast motion. They sped across as the sun began to rise, blocking the stars and the the orange and pink of the morning sky. Lance felt as though he were watching a sped up scene in a movie as everything moved so fast and so apart from himself. Lance felt as though he were going to fade away. The only thing keeping him anchored was the soft voice echoing all around him. He couldn't understand what it said, but he knew it was their. It was sometimes one voice, sometimes all voices. Sometimes his mother's and then his father's. Sometimes a stranger's. Sometimes it was distant and sometimes it was close. No matter what his delerium made it out to be, the voice was there and it felt warm, like water rocking him back and forth. Even though he was in pain, he found himself wishing the strange familiarity of that voice would hold him there forever.  
Wishes don't usually come true though.  
Lance was pulled from the strange here yet there state by a hand grabbing him and yanking him down under the water he had felt he'd been floating in. He gasped as the water turned to pain and electric shocks of agony had his shaking and sweating. Lance opened his eyes, stray tears leaking down his cheeks as he looked at what grabbed him this time. The voice that had been soothing and comforting now sounded like the horn of a train being blared right beside him. Lance winced as his vision came into focus and he saw the distressed Keith who was saying something to him. What could it be? Lance concentrated on the movement of Keith's lips and found the noice devolve into actual words rather than the violent cacophany the pain deluded him into hearing.  
"...Is a witch. She can help. She's very powerful. I'm sorry, Lance, but I have to move you. It won't be far, her hut is just past the bank." Keith said. Lance was sure he had said something else before he had started listening, but he couldn't do much more than groan in confusion. Keith scowled, brining his brows together against his forehead before leaning down and wrapping his arms around Lance in a bridal style lift. Lance sobbed but found he couldn't fight back at all and allowed himself, panting, to be carried into a metal and wood hutch beyond the rocky shore.  
The door was open, but slightly blocked by a long piece of fur hanging from the frame. Keith pushed it aside and pushed his way into the darkened hut. Lance, even though he was delerious still looked around as best he could. the whole first room looked like what a witches hut shouldn't look like. Lance grew slightly annoyed that there were books and shiny crystals and reular, but ornate furnature in the front room but there was no boiling cauldron or corn broom. Had he been healthy upon reaching this hut, Lance would have laughed at his little irritation, but now itjust mixed with his anger and discomfort and made his stomach roll. Everything was wrong and Lance wanted despiratly to be out of this hut and out of this situation, but he knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.  
"Witvh! I know you are here!" Keith hollered out as he laid Lance down on the long chaise underneith the window. A soft breeze blew through the open doorway and lulled Lance. Finally, he thought, he could sleep. He was wrong again as a woman, hunched and hidden under a long cloak emerged. Keith bristled and rested his hand on Lance's shoulder protectively.  
"Why Red... I am very suprised to see you here..." The witch said, her voice high pitched and scratchy. Keith glared at her but held his tongue. "What brings you to my home away from home?" She asked.  
"My friend was bitten by a predator. I cauterized the area, but he is in a lot of pain and I'm worried he won't make it." Keith said, clearly angry but also scared. the woman laughed a huffed and wheezing breath.  
"He survived being bitten then he should survive what you did as well." She dismissed, turning away. Her robes fluttered as she moved and lance was reminded of the wings that bird beast had. How the noise was the same. It distressed him and he grabbed onto Keith's arm. Keith looked down, suddenly panicked again.  
"Please! Haggar! I'll do anything!" Keith yelled and her shuffling paused. Lance relaxed, the vision of the bird over his body disolving into the air.  
"Anything?" She asked. There was a beat and then two before Keith nodded.  
"Yes." He said. Haggar smiled.  
"Fine, I will heal your friend on the condition you allow me free reign and some of your more...valuable resources." Haggar said. Keith paused again, contemplating the pros and cons before nodding.   
"Of course..." He accepted. The witch waved him off. Keith stood still for a second before conceiding. He left and Lance was left alone with the witch. Panic filled Lance as she began to walk forward, her shuffling briging back the vision of the rotting, and oily flesh of the bird. Lance groaned and shook, trying to sit up but lacking the strength to do so. Lance finally gave up when Haggar appeared in front of him.  
She looked far different than Lance imagined.She definitely didn't look human anymore. Her skin was a strange shade of grey or maybe purple. Scars travelled down her face over her eyes and down her cheeks. Her hair was long and reminded lance of ivory white horns. Lance could tell she was far older than anyone he had met, but even though she was hunched and her hair lacking its pigmentation, she looked very youthful. Her face was sparce of wrinkles and lines, but her skin was thick and leather like. She lifted a hand to hover over Lance's face, nails like claws that began to glow yellow. Lance's eyes widened as the glow spread a bit up her nails and into her fingers. She most definitely wasn't human. Another shot of pain caused Lance to clamp his eyes shut and groan, hands gripping as his pant leg.  
"How strange..." Haggar noted, "Anyone else would have died even with the cauterizing of the wound. The poison from that beast spreads like a fire in dry brush. Yet, from what I gather, you've been alive for many many hours." Lance wanted to nod or something but found himself unable to. Sweat dripped down his face. Haggar observed him as her hand traveled the length of his body until she reached the wound. It was wrapped up tightly in cloth torn from the leg of Lance's pants and it was matted with blood and puss. Haggar scowled, the magic coming from her finger tips and tasting the flesh told her something was off. Something was different. She jerked back her hand and ended whatever spell she was using then tore off the jean covering. Lance shrieked in pain, his back arching off of the fur covered chaise and his uninjured leg kicking about. Haggar simply stared down at him.  
"How is this possible?" She asked, fear and anger in her words. Lance cracked open one eye and dared a peek at the exposed wound. He gasped upon seeing it. The flesh that had been boiled away seemed to be mending itself very slowly. In a couple more hours, he would be completely healed with nothing more than a bit of scarring. Lance was sure of and from the look on her face, so was Haggar.  
Confused, Haggar leaned forward and grabbed Lance by the throat. He spit and gagged and clawed at her hand as she lifted his body one handed from the chaise.  
"How have you done this, boy?" She demanded and Lance didn't know how to answer her.  
"I... I don't know..."Lance gagged and Haggar dropped him, backing away slightly.  
"Your body reeks of the beast..." Haggar said, almost a whisper, almost to herself. Lance groaned, actually sitting up this time.  
"The..the beast?" He asked.  
"You don't know..." She stated. It was then a realization hit her. "You don't know because you've been asleep as long as it has. You are, in some way, still asleep." She said.  
"Wha...?" Lance asked and Haggar cackled.  
"Listen close boy," Haggar said, leaning in close, "When that thing wakes up it'll be your fault. Its waking up now and only you can stop it. Figure out what you are soon befoer even more of us are dead." LAnce shivered. Her voice was suddenly the air around him and it swept over his ears like a breeze. He hated it, but her words burned someting inside of him. A familiarity. It was like watcihng a movie he had seen as a child but could barely recognize as an adult. Something familiar, yet out of place.  
"Remember what I said. Heed my warning. It is important for all sides. For all factions." Haggar concluded before walking away. Lance's mind swirled with questions he was sure he would forget in just a few minutes. Haggar returned seconds later with a bottle of yellow glowing oil that Lance found himself distrusting.  
"Wha..What is..that?" Lance asked, breathing hard.  
"This is a potion. It will amplify what power you have to heal yourself and keep you from several more hours of pain. Your friend is paying me greatly for it. You will pay me greatly for it." Haggar said and the poured it over the wound.  
The pain Lance had felt when he had been bitten originally had been the worst he had ever felt, but now, he could say that this was. All the pain that he would have felt as his leg healed over time was amplified into a few short moments. Lance screamed, and kicked and growled and clawed. Agony wrought his every ounce, through all his limbs, muscles, and veins. Every part of him burned with an angr, dizzying fire that left his throat and body raw.  
Then, as soon as it started, it was over and Lance lay still in a panting mess on the verge of paasing out with his eyes wide open, unblinking and full of free roaming tears. Keith burst in, throwing the fur aside with a shout of Lance's name. Lance didn't hear him. He was trapped in a soundless void of recovery. No pain, no noise, no movement. He was frozen.  
"What did you do?" Keith howled at Haggar, his voice filled with rage. He balled his fists at his side and grit his teeth, pushing his way between the witch and Lance. Lance watched, unmoving.  
"You're friend was fine the moment he was bitten. His body was in pain from healing itself too fast. I accelerated the process to limit the time he was in pain so that for but a moment was he in true and pure agony." Haggar said. Keith went to lunge forward at her but a hand caught his wrist. Keith looked back and saw lance gently gripping his arm.  
"Lance..." Keith's voice said softly, almost brotherly.  
"I... am... okay..." Lance stated. There was no lie. His body was doing much better and functionality was returning to him. His only problem was in accepting the fact that he had met a real witch and that his body seemed to comic like healing abilities when gravely injured. Keith kneeled down and grabbed Lance's face in his hands.  
"Are you sure?" He asked cautiously. Lance nodded.  
"I'm golden Ponyboy." Lance said, giving Keith a thumbs up and a smile. Keith sighed and stood, bringing Lance with him. Both on their feet, Keith helped Lance hobble to the door. Before they exited, Keith turned around and said, "Thank you witch." then left. Haggar smiled.  
"I wouldn't thank me yet, boy." She said to herself.  
Keith helped Lance sit down in the boat, making sure that he was secure, before he picked up that long stick he used to row the boat. Lance wasn't sure what it was called or itf it even had a term and didn't want to embarace himself if it did by asking. But, before they could begin another stretch of their adventure, Haggar called to them from her doorway, still partially hidden by the fur.  
"There is a small trading town not far from here that I suggest you stop at, Red." Haggar said. Keith glared at her.   
"It would be to your benefit since I trust that you gave to me the supplies I was in want of, yes?" She questioned and Keith nodded.   
"Yeah, all of our available supplies are under your canopy behind the house." Keith said, pushing the boat away from the shore and into deeper water.  
"All but your tarp and boat." Haggar said before turning back into her hut and closing the fur curtain. Lance shuddered slightly. He didn't like the way she had said that. He didn't like her at all. Something about the situation felt off, but Lance couldn't put his finger on it.  
"Something isn't right..." Keith mumbled but pushed off and set sail anyways.  
"What makes you say that?" Lance asked.  
"She works for the Galra and nothing ever comes that easy with her. Especially for me." Keith explained,but the answer did nothing but open up more questions.  
"The Galra? What's that? And why would she target you to bully?" Lance asked. Keith sighed.  
"Of course you don't know..."Keith groaned but continued anyways, "The Galra are a large Mafia style group of people who drank the water and can use magic. Their bodies were changed and they deemed themselves to be superior and began enslaving those who aren't interested in drinking that poisoned filth straight from the beast's tank." Keith said and let out an irritated breath.  
"And as to why she would hate me is because I'm part of a small but formidable group of fighters that have managed to liberate massive areas from Galra control. I was actually on my way back to my group when I found you. We made a massive detour into Galra territory to save your life, so now the closest place to get any supplies back is a Galra owned town where I am not at al well liked and I am well noticable." Keith finished, clearly upset about the situation. Lance suddenly felt out of place and like a burden.  
"I'm sorry..." Lance whispered and Keith looked back at him.  
"Hey, no, this isn't your fault. I just... I'm easily irritated by inevitability. All of this was my fault. I chose to pick you up into my boat and then to bring you here. This had very little to do with you, no matter how annoying you can be." Keith teased and Lance chuckled.  
"I guess..."Lance responded, feeling a bit elated but still a bit upset. Keith pat his arm then went back to rowing. After a few minutes Lance looked at him, realizing something he hadn't before.  
"Hey, how do you know my name?" Lance asked.  
"Huh?" Keith asked, looking back him queerly.  
"I don't recall ever telling you my name. How do you know it?" Lance asked, firmer.  
"Oh, it was written on everythin in you bag, so I assumed." Keith stated, as if it was obvious.  
"My bag?" Lance asked and keith nodded, facing away.  
"Yeah. I found it on you when I pulled you in. Nothing good. Just wet paper." Keith explained. "Your bag is over there under the tarp. I didn't throw it away in case you needed it for something." Lance stood up and walked to the space between them where the tarp lay bunched up and he lifte it up. Just as Keith said, it was his bag for school. Lance looked through it confused. How could his bag have been here? The paper wasn't even yellowed. It was just like how it was in class. Lance pulled them out and began to look through them. After a few minutes of shuffling things around, Lance scowled.  
"These are homework assignments for like... two weeks from now... I haven't even started them..."Lance said to himself, very confused. Keith listened and watched, but didn't say anything. He didn't know enough about Lance's situation to help any. Lance pulled through all of his things and looked at all the papers, eventually becoming angry enough to crumple them and push them back into his bag.  
"This hasn't happened! I haven't even started these assignments!" Lance howled, turning to Keith.  
"Was there anything else in my bag? Anything at all?" Lance asked, almost begging. and Keith nodded, then rubbed his neck nervously.  
"Yeah... Uh... There was a bit of food wrapped up in some weird shiny paper. It had some kind of thing? Stuck to it. I ate it because, frankly, I thought you were dead when I pulled you out of the water." Keith explained, embarrassed, his cheeks turning very red. Lance smiled. Apparently Keith could be kinda cute and a bit childish. Lance looked away.  
"So, what exactly was the food?" Lance asked and Keith shrugged.  
"I... I'm not sure. I was really good, but not something common around here. It was in a box and was brown an had some kind of edible plate attached to it? The plate was like a flaky bread, an the inside was like...uh...fluffy? It was brown and white and had some kind of blood on it that sure didn't taste like blood. I don't know what it was. If the box hadn't read that it was edible I would never have known." Keith tried to explain, his hands kind of flailing as he attempted to describle this thing he had never eaten. Lance scowled for a second, trying to decipher the riddle placed before him. Then, it dawned on him.  
"Oh! That was Hunk's pie. For his birthday." Lance explained and Keith scowled.  
"A what now?" Keith asked.  
"Hunk? Or birthday?" Lance pressed and Keith just shrugged, clearly confused about both.  
"Hunk is my best friend. We've been buds since I was a kid. And a birthday is a celebration of existing for another year. Hunk was going to 23 in about two weeks from... Whenever I was before..." Lance tried to explain, but he faded off suddenly confused himself. H ewasn't sure about anything any more. Keith could see his sudden unrest and sighed, putting down the pole, and sitting beside Lance.  
"Life has gotten far more complicated since meeting you." Keith said and Lance chuckled.  
"You're life?" He asked, eyeing Keith who nodded.  
"Oh, hell yes." Keith said and Lance glared at him with an expression that read, 'Really?' but Keith just nodded.  
"I had a fairly quiet life that involved my traveling around in my boat, gathering resources and fighting small covert fights to protect those left until I found you. Now its questions, and confusion time lines, and magic. I can't get a break." Keith explained, clearly teasing. Lance laughed and leaned against Keith. Lance was scared and confused and needed a bit of comfort. He suddenly missed his friends and wish he could be held by Hunk or maybe have Pidge lay across his lap as she played some video game. This was as close as he could get it seemed. Resting his head on Keith's shoulder.  
Keith however went ridgid. He was not used to someone being so affectionate. It was generally deemed weak to be any kinds of affectionate because it lowered your gaurd, it made you vulnerable. Keith didn't know what to do, but he wasn't totally inept so he put his hand on Lance's head and patted gently. After about a miinute, Lance began to laugh and pull away. Keith blushed and leaned back quickly, suddenly self conscious.  
"What! Why are you laughing?" Keith adressed and Lance took a second to breath.  
"Dude, you suck at affection. When was the last time anyone hugged you?" Lance asked and Keith shrugged, frowning and blushing very red.  
"Not since I guess my dad. But that was a long long time ago..." Keith explained. Lance frowned too.  
"That is no way to live!" Lance said, and Keith eyed him , "Get over here!" Lance ordered, opening his arms wide and leaning back against the boat's edge. Keith scowled but slid forward any ways. Lance helped him get into a comfortable position with Keiths head resting against his chest and he began to rub Keith's back in soothing circles. Keith was very tense at first but quickly relaxed as Lance rubbed his back.  
"This is how you comfort someone."Lance said, andKeith nodded. They sat like that for a while until Keith began to get drowsy. He hadn't been this comfortable in a long time so why not indulge? He glanced up to Lance also falling asleep. Keith decided it wasn't such a bad thing. He leaned over and pulled the tarp across them both just in case. LAnce grumbled a little and they both readjusted a bit. Keith sighed and played with the fabric of Lance's shirt.  
"Friendships back then must have been so weird..." Keith whispered then closed his eyes. He hadn't had a nap in a long long time. As the day dragged on, both boys fell asleep.   
Then Lance woke up.  
It was the morning and Hunk was in bed, sleeping soundly. Lance looked around. Everything that had felt familiar before felt odd and wrong. He looked down at his chest where he had last been holding Keith and he felt colder. He looked back at Hunk and felt suddenly scared. His dreams seemed to be more than dreams. If they were, then everyone around him was about die. He had two weeks to stop whatever was going to happen. At least, if that possible. He looked back down at his chest, the empty spot where Keith had just been. If Keith was real, he begged that Keith would understand. He swallowed and looked at the clock. It was 6 A.M. He didn't have class for a while so he might as well go out and try to clear his head.  
Lance climbed out of bed, changed his clothes, and then left the dorm. He needed to breath so he just started walking.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance goes to a coffee shop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter but things are beginning to move a bit faster now! Sorry for the lateness!

Beneath  
Lance walked down the streets until he came to his favorite coffee shop. It was just being unlocked by the unfortunate older brother of his dear Pidge. Matt Holt was another Astrophysics major like himself. He was only a few years older than Lance, but he was almost fully at a PHD. This kid was way smart and Lance was so glas of that. Lance wasn't stupid by any means, but he didn't always understand somethings. Matt was always there to help him out. So, in exchange, Lance spent an enormous amount of his extra money on Matt's tip jar. College, after al, was anything but free.  
Lance strutted up to the young blonde man who could easily trade places with Pidge if he slouched a bit, and said, "Yo!" with an excited wave. Matt looked up and smiled a bit, waving back before finally opening the door.  
"Hey, McClain, was happening?" Matt asked, clearly tired. Lance shrugged.  
"Not much at all, I couldn't sleep." He explained. Matt yawned and nodded.  
"Tell me about it..." He groaned, leading Lance inside. Lance was one of the only people that the owner of the little shop allowed inside before and after hours because, one, Lance was a very charming young man, and two, Matt had convinced the owner that he was smart and just needed a bit of help. Lance was going to be an astronaut. All the owner asked in return was that Lance come see them after he became 'world famous' from his space travels. Lance readilly agreed.  
Matt walked around the counter and began his morning duties. Lance had been here so many times during the early morning hours, that he knew Matt would spend the next fifteen minutes or so putting his station together. Lance waited. Once done, Matt made Lance a small Frappucino and began to chat.  
"So what's keeping you from sleeping" Matt asked and Lance shrugged.  
"Aww, come one, don't be like that. I can keep a secret." Matt encouraged. Lance too a sip of the cold coffee drink, which was amazing as always, and then said, "It's kind of stupid." Matt psh'd at him then said, "Lots of things are stupid. There isn't a person on this planet exempt from stupid. However, if it actually bothers you then it isn't stupid. It's a problem." Lance nodded, understanding that Matt was right.  
"Well, ive been having weird dreams lately..." Lance started.  
"Weird dreams?" Matt asked encouragingly. Lance nodded.  
"Yeah... When I fall asleep I'm in some kind of drowned world. Everything is submurjed in water and I'm on this boat with this guy. He's pretty nice but can be a dick. He calls himself Keith." Lance explained but Matt intterupted him.  
"You mean like, Keith in expiramental physics class?" Matt asked and Lance shook his head no.  
"Nah, thay guy is from Tallahasse and white. Dream Keith is like Korean I think. Anyways, He found me in the water and kept me from being eaten by some big bad, that no one seems to really know exactly what it is? Just that it split the sun and then became rain? It's weird, but like, everyone is convinced it exists. Also, whatever it is makes these big 'ol creatures out of like mud and dead animals and litter to hunt down anything alive. So far I was attacked by a big scary, smelly bird that was melting and a huge salamader who was made out of silt and glass. I had residual pain for a whole day in the real world Matt!" Lance explained passionately. Matt stared at him and nodded slightly.  
"That's a weird dream, dude." Matt said and Lance groaned.  
"It wouldn't be that strange, but this is like a series. Every time I fall asleep, I wind up there, right where I left off. I would chalk it up to Lucid dreaming, but Keith gave me my backpack that had assignments in it that we haven't covered yet. I remember some of the questions in great detail, and its too realistic for me to think up. I'm remembering too much for it to just be a dream. Plus, what happens in it seem to affect me here in the waking world too. Like how I almost lost my leg! I could still feel the pain until I fell back asleep and some witch fixed it." Lance explained. Matt shrugged.  
"I don't know what to tell ya bud." He said, wiping the counter down a bit and Lance sighed, defeated.  
"Me neither." Lance said, smiling at his friend then stood off the stool.  
"I'll see ya late Matt, I think the talk, coffee and walk helped me out." Lance said. Matt smiled.  
"Allrighty, take care!" And he waved him on. Lance turned around and walked to the door.  
Suddenly, Lance felt himself grow dizzy and tired and then he saw the world tilt and spin before he only saw blackness. All he could utter was a shallow, "Wha...?" As Matt screamed his name.  
Then he woke up.  
It was a sudden jostle of the boat that forced him awake as he and Keith were pulled apart. Lance gasped at the sudden loss and looked up to see a very awake and angry keith being forced to kneel with his arms behind his back. he growled and writhed, but it did him no good and he was quickly bound. Lance called for him, but a large purple, almost cat like, symbionic man stood in front of him. Lance swallowed hard as his eyes traveled up the imposing frame to meet the one real, yellow eye, and one mechanical red.  
"Well, seems Red has made a new friend. A very Special new friend." The man said then smiled wide showing off rows of razor sharp cat like teeth.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance Meets Zarkon and finds out true brutality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW chapter. This is where things get bad but they will get better soon. Also, very sorry for not updating in a while. Life has been very busy lately! Thank you for all of your nice comments on the previous chapters though! They really help me out when I'm having trouble writing or just having a crap day! Thank you! Also, this chapter is very long, and for that I'm sorry. Also, @Parsnip, I tried the double enter you suggested this time! Let me know if that helped!

Beneath

Lance was petrified. The monsters he had been attacked by before were a certain kind of scary. They held a fear that had mortified the ancestors of humans, but this fear he felt now was distinctly different. The man before him was clearly human, or he had been at one point but now he was far stronger than any regular human could be. Lance feared this man the way he feared other men and what they were capable of. He shrunk back a bit, cowering.

"Leave him alone, Sendak!" Keith yelled, tugging away from the other purple skinned and fur lined men who held him. the man who he called Sendak laughed at Keith then grabbed Lance by the collar of his shirt and threw him at another man. Lance stumbled and was caught tightly under his arms by a far thinner man. Lance looked at his face and the man smiled. Lance's heart sank. This man, he could tell, was worse than the first. This new man, who was several heads taller than Lance, readjusted Lance. Lance squirmed as his hands traveled down his body, feeling Lance's every curve and edge.

"He is so smooth, Sendak." The man said before hoisting Lance over his shoulder. Sendak laughed again then signalled to the others holding Keith to drag him off the small raft with a nod of his head. Keith kicked and screamed and did everything he could to make it as hard as possible to get him off the boat. He even went so far as to bite one of them and headbutt the other. This slowed them down, but Keith was inevitably drug off the boat. Lance struggled too, but one good shake from his captor knocked the wind and fight out of him. Keith was thrown to the ground then was held in the dirt by a kneeling man on top of him. He growled and thrashed, but all it did was tire him out. Lance was dropped on his ass with a grunt. He stood quickly to run to Keith but was grabbed by the collar, gagging him. The man holding him laughed loudly as he drug Lance back into his arms. Lance wanted to cry as the arm wrapped sensually around his waist and another arm snaked around his chest, a hand gripping his throat. Lance swallowed as warm breath ghosted against his neck.

"Let...Let him go!" Keith panted, finally giving up, "He has nothing... to do with this..."

"Oh, I'm sure Lord Zarkon would never want a young man who can heal himself without spells or medicince. His body and blood could never be a useful adition to our army." Sendak joked then turned to Lance.

"Haxus, as nice as he is, you can't have him until Zarkon has seen him." Sendak said. Haxus just smiled.

"Why of course, sir." Haxus said, his grip tightening defensively, "I wouldn't dream of betraying the emperor." Sendak nodded.

"Good. We are leaving now. You are in charge of the specimen. If no situations occur on the way back then I will put in a good word with Zarkon for you to keep him." Sendak said and Lance felt Haxus stiffen, pulling him closer, a laugh bubbling in his chest. Lance wanted to scream, uncertain but still understanding what could happen to him with this man.

"Understood, Sir." Haxus responded, clearly joyous, then drug Lance through the sparsely cover island. Keith yelled after him and Lance turned around and yelled for keith. Lance wanted to cry as he saw Keith be pulled onto his feel then be kicked in the gut by Sendak. Lance pushed away from Haxus and grit out multiple ," Let me go!" but nothing stopped Haxus or the beating Keith was currently recieving. Lance wanted to sob whe finally Keith was out of view.

Lance didn't know what to do. He was clearly outmatched, and when he was pulled onto the much Larger boat on the other side of the island between the wide walls of the rocky canyon, he gave up. Haxus threw him onto a soft cot then pounced on him, holding his wrists down above his head. Lance let a tear slip into the pillow below him as fear gripped him. Haxus laughed as he leaned down over Lance's back, pressing his own body against Lance's very deliberately. Lance panted through his nose fearfully as Haxus kissed his neck and then said breathily into his ear, "When Zarkon is done with you, you will be mine."

Haxus released Lance's wrists with one hand and used it to travel the length of Lance's body. Lance held as still as his trembling form would let him Haxus leaned up and took in his form, smiling wide.

"You are quite the stunning example of a human, aren't you?" He asked, rubbing along Lance's lower back. 

"No scarring thats visable, all of your limbs, skin so smooth and clean. You are almost perfect." Haxus cooed. Lance swallowed, not finding his words as Haxus trailed his claw along his calf.

"I think I would prefer you slightly marred. When you are mine, be prepared to lose this leg. I don't want you running away from me." Haxus said excitedly. Lance gasped and pushed himself up, throwing off Haxus and he bolted for the cabin door. Haxus laughed out loud and jumped after him. Lance got to the door, throwing it open before he was grabbe by the hair and thrown back inside with a shriek, landing awkwardly by the cot. Haxus locked the door again and the strode to Lance, towering over him. Lance tried to back away, but his back was already against the cot. He wanted to cry. He was so scared. 

"I...I'm not a pet! You can't keep me locked up like an expensive toy!" Lance yelled defiantly. Haxus smirked.

"I can do as I wish once the Emperor is done with you." Haxus said then went to the wardrobe on the wall and opened it. Lance watched fearfully ask Haxus pulled out a soft set of fur lined shackles. Lance grabbed his chest at the realization of what that was. He had seen them several times in some kinky porn he watched occassionally. How could this thin purple man have something as specific as sex bindings.

"I found these floating in the water one day. They must have floated up from inside of a store. They were shockinly undamaged when I got them. You'd think all the water would just eat away at soft things like this, but it didn't. You wont get hurt with these around your wrists and ankles and you won't be able to cause a ruckous." Haxus explained. Lance sighed slightly. Haxus wasn't going to use them the way they were meant to. At least not yet.

Haxus tossed the shackles over his shoulder and then pulled a knife from his belt and the fear that had subsided came back. Lance scooted back along the floor in an attempt to get away, but Haxus just got closer and closer until he held down Lance's chest to the floor with his boot covered foot. Lance grabbed his ankle and tried to throw him off, but Haxus just pushed down far harder until Lance's chest could no longer expanded and he felt his bones creak under the pressure. Haxus kneeled down, straddling Lance's hips, and put the blade against Lance's throat. Lance's breath quickened to a panic as he tried his best to hold still. 

"If you behave, I won't cut you." Haxus said and Lance didn't even move. Haxus smirked and then grabbed the collar of Lance's shirt, slicing right through it al the way down. Lance gasped and jerked his head to the side, the warm and sticky air making his skin go clammy. He closed his eyes tight when he heard Haxus moan above him.

"Oh...Even lovlier than I expected." Haxus groaned and Lance covered his face with his arms, sucking in a fearful breath. Haxus didn't stare long though as his hands undid Lance's jeans, knife grazing his skin as a silent threat to be still while his pants were tugged off and he was left in just his underwear. Haxus pressed the blade against Lance's side and then tossed the cuffs at him.

"Put these around your ankles and then your wrists." Haxus demanded. Lance nodded and sat up slowly, taking the restraints and attaching them around his ankles. Lance frowned at how close together his feet were being held, but didn't say anything. He instead just cuffed his wrists as well, which took a bit longer. Haxus waited patiently as he did so, reveling in the power held. Once done, Haxus pushed against Lance's chest and said, "Lay back down." Lance nodded and follwed the slight push of the large hand between his pectorals until his back hit the wooden planks of the floor. Once laying down again, Haxus grabbed the waistband of Lance's boxers and tugged. Lance shook and began to sob as they were pulled down to mid thigh, exposing him. Haxus's hands rested on Lance's taught stomach as it rose and fell in quick succession. Haxus couldn't help but marvel.

"I've never met anyone with such a strange fallas before. It's so smooth" Haxus admired and Lance covered his face again. Haxus leaned down and began to kiss Lance's stomach, just above his groin and made his way downward but stopped just above the small patch of trimmed hair and pulled Lance's underwear back up. He stood up and let Lance loose.Lance rolled onto his side and cried quietly into his hands as he glared at Haxus. 

"Maybe next time, love." Haxus said before walking across the floor and opening the door. Lance wanted to gasp as he saw Keith being drug through it, bruised and beaten. Haxus smirked back at Lance saying, "Bet you're happy to get me versus the beating he got." Lance growled as the other men dropped the unconscious Keith beside Lance. Doing his best with his bound hands, Lance pulled Keith onto his lap. Haxus just laughed a bit then exited the room, locking the door as he went. Lance stared at it for a bit then burried his face in Keith's hair, breathing in deeply as he let the tears fall. Lance was so scared.

Several hour passed when Keith finally woke up. Lance gasped and smiled, face still wet from stray tears.

"Keith!" Lance exclaimed and then wrapped keith in a tight hug. keith groaned and gasped loudly in pain and Lance released him quickly but gently.

"Are you okay?" Lance asked, helping Keith sit up. The black haired boy nodded.

"Yeah... I'm peachy." Keith said, breathing hard. Lance scooted away, giving Keith a bit of space to stretch and breath to which Keith did gladly, groaning. He didn't have much too maneuver with his hands behind his back, and his ankles tied tightly together, but he did his best. Lance waited patiently, knowing he must have been in a great amount of pain from the beating, until he looked over at him. Keith gasped at seeing Lance almost nude, eyes roaming his body defensively. Lance covered himself with his arms as best he could and he looked away. Keith growled, eyes narrowing.

"What did he do to you?" Keith asked, anger evident. Lance shook his head and laughed nervously.

"N...nothing." He stuttered and keith yelled, "Bull shit! Don't you lie to me!" Lance flinched back but looked him in the eyes and said, "He didn't do anything besides look and kiss. I'm scared, but I'll be okay." Keith calmed, but he was still visably shaken. He looked around the room for anything he could use to defend or free himself. Nothing of use could be found so Keith turned to Lance with a determined look in his eye.

"Untie me." He stated. Lance sat there.

"Wha...? What if we get caught!" Lance asked panicked. Keith moved to get into Lance's face.

"If we don't get away, it'll be far worse for us both, you in particular. Haxus has made it clear what will happen if you don't get away." Keith explained and Lance shuddered at the directness, his skin suddenly feeling colder as he used his bound hands to again cover his body. Keith saw he was uncomfortable but knew he had to get the point across.

"I think Haxus made it very clear what you'll be useful for if Zarkon decides you aren't useful. I can survive getting beaten, its happened plenty before. You'll be far worse off Lance." Keith said sternly. Lance could hear the fear in his voice and felt a shiver run through him. Keith was very very right and Lance had no way to deny it. Violence would be forced upon him and there was nothing he could do if they didn't act now. Lance closed his eyes and steeled himself.

"Okay..." He answered, scared but sure. Keith scooted around so his back was facing Lance and Lance began to untie the complecated knot. He fumbled and struggled through it as his heart hammared fast in his chest. If they were caught who knew what trouble they could get into.

And then the door opened and both Lance and Keith gasped. Haxus glared at them and marched forward.

"Trying to escape?" He growled as Lance backpeddled away from Keith. it did no good though. Haxus was far faster and he reached Keith, throwing him easily to the side before grabbing Lance around the throat and pinning him to the wall, feet scrambling above the ground.

"We've arrived at Lord Zarkon's keep," Haxus said into Lance's face. Lance squirmed and turned away, struggling to breathe. "Once the emperor finds you utterly useless, I'll have you." Haxus threatened, and he ran a hand up Lance's shaven thigh, leaning into him. Lance pushed against Haxus's body which only caused Haxus to groan into Lance's ear excitedly. Keith yelled behind them but was ignored. Haxus kissed Lance's cheek underneith his right eye before dropping him to the ground. Lance landed with a hard thump, knee jarring hard, and he winced. Keith called to him, asking if he was okay, but he didn't answer. Haxus laughed again and then called the two others who had drug Keith in before. One of each grabbed the two, hefting them over their shoulders. Keith struggled and faught the whole time. Lance did too, but his struggles seemed weak comapared to Keith's and he knew it did nothing more than make him seem scared.

Up on deck, Lance could see Sendak waiting for them. He glanced over the small party of three Galra and two prisoners and then walked off ship, clearly expected to be followed. The group took the hint, Sendak leading, the Galra soldier and Keith behind, The Galra soldier and Lance third then Haxus watching every move Lance made with a keen eye. It made Lance more unconfortable than even the current situation of kidnapping made him and he wanted to squirm. 

Lance did his very best to ignore the stares Haxus was giving him and instead focused on what was in front of him. First was Keith, screaming profanities, kicking and biting and doing all he could to escape. The poor soldier carying him was definitely getting a run for his money, that was for sure. In front of that was Sendak. He was tall and strong and had one prothstetic arm that looked like someting from a science fiction film. Lance, still petrified almost, found himself marveling at the ability to combine magic and science together to create such magnificent things that even with their excessive resources, his modern world hadn't achieved yet. Lance took notice of how Sendak held himself, with such strength and raw power. Lance felt a crackle of fear hit him. Sendak carried himself like a king, so how would the Emperor be?

Lance shook his head, he couldn't worry about that. There was a chance he wouldn't interest the Emperor at all and he could get away scott free, maybe he would be so interesting Lance was protected from Haxus, maybe he would be useful and so he was cherished. Lance could only hope, it was all he had.

Lance glanced past Sendak and looked through the gnarled and bare trees at the emerging structure. A large building protruded from the water. A scy scraper of sorts Lance noted. It wasn't one he remembered ever having seen in his country, but it looked very familiar anyways. It was tilted on its side, leaning against the rock wall of the canyon, water lapping in and out of it steadily. Its metal body shimmered in the bright, double sun light and Lance had to squint and shield his face from the image. It looked like a fortress, a prison. It was definitely the castle of a strong and violent king.

They entered the building through a set of windows that had been converted into a working door after walking across a series of sunken pillars that formed a bridge. The moment they crossed the threshold, all bright light was replaced with a soft and menacing purple glow of atificial light. Lance was impressed by the amount of work put into making a sunken building like this livable for all of maybe a minute before he was dropped head first onto the ground. A crack resounded as his nose broke and Lance let out a shriek and a series of cussings, his hands cradling his face as tears slipped from his eyes.

"Lance!" Keith yelled to him. Lance put up a hand, the other still covering his nose, to let Keith know he was fine.

"I'm okay." Lance said, pain subsuding fast as he felt the bones and vessels mend themselves. After a second, he wiped his nose clean of the blood and everyone gasped. No redness or swelling had formed. No blood could be seen. Haxus grinned.

"So it seems the witch spoke truthfully. I wonder how far your healing abilities will go, child." Haxus said. Lance pulled into himself a bit, understanding the nuance and unconciously wanting to protect himself. Sendak snorted at the joke then waved the group along. This time, Haxus grabbed Lance with one arm under Lance's own, lifting Lance onto his feet and dragging him along. He said nothing to Lance and Lance found he couldn't say anything either.

It wasn't much farther to the large open room that had been converted to the throne room. One giant chair sat on a raised dais where a larger than ife man sat. Lance's eyes widened at the sight. Sendak was large, comically so, compared to actual humans like Lance and it had quite set fear into him. Hell, Haxus, who was by far the closest to a human he had seen from the strange creature, was terrifying. But, Lance found himself shaking at the man before him.

Zarkon was around nine feet tall, maybe taller, and his forearm was as thick as Lance's entire body. Rightly, Lance was a thinner boy, but no arm should have been as thick as he was. Zarkon had no weapon on his person that Lance could see. It wasn't as if he needed one though. His sheer size was enough. It sent a message that no matter who you were, you were no rival to Zarkon. Lance found himself wondering how old Zarkon was, becasue his face resembled that of a reptile more than a human, with thick and rough skin and sharp protruding scales resembling teeth on his lips. His eyes were a strange shade of yellow, resembling the fire and color of the suns that brightened the dark room in a frightening way. A cape covered his back and left arm, draping dramatically over his armoured body. He never once made a move to stand, but once they were close enough, both Keith and Lance were made to kneel with the soldiers.

"My Lord!" Sendak began as Zarkon eyed him, "I have brought you the red paladin of Voltron and a cohort with strange but possibly beneficial powers."

"The Red Paladin. How strange for him to be caught so unaware..." Zarkon said with a strange air of respect. Keith snarled in response but Zarkon was not phased. He looked away from Sendak and looked at Lance.

"Haggar has informed me of your God like power. To survive the bite of the creatures from the deep is impossible for mortals. Only two have ever survived. You and I." Zarkon explained andLance found himself captivated in a strange way.

"How did you survive?" Lance asked, his voice small. Zarkon stared at him unblinking for amoment before responding.

"I was much like you when the rains came. Married to a woman named Honerva, had a job in the military of the American government, I lived a normal human life. Then, I was struk through my chest by an angry ball of energy that shot through the world. My body was filled with the rage and fear that the energy felt and I was changed. I should have died, and I am sure that alesser being would have, but I am far superior." Zarkon explained and Lance felt a strange familiarity wash over him, as though he knew that story or had seen it. How could he have? His memories were from before the event, and yet his whole body rang with knowing. Lance wanted to shake himself free, but couldn't so he chose to look back at Zarkon instead. Zarkon however had directed his attention back at Keith.

"Take the paladin and chain him to the ground in front of me." Zarkon commanded, his voice echoing through the room. Immeadiately, the soldiers drug keith to the room center before Zarkon and lifted a chain with a latch around it to be placed on Keith's neck. Keith struggled and yelled as he had been doing, but to no avail, and he was chained to the ground on his knees. Lance watched Keith, wishing he could do something to help, but knew he couldn't, before gasping as Zarkon commanded, " Bring me the boy." and he was drug from his spot on the floor. This time Lance struggled harder, but just like for keith, it did no good, and he was dropped onto the knee of a waiting Zarkon.

Lance wanted to look up, but for a minute all he did was stare at his hands against Zarkon's leg and felt himself quake at how small they were. Lance swallowed hard and then glanced up. Zarkon's eyes were on him. Gently, Zarkon tilted Lance's face upward more to look at him better and Lance swore he almost seen fondness in the golden gaze. A fondness set behind an anger unforgiving. Zarkon blinked and slid a clawed finger down Lance's face.

"How strange for you to be here, with a face so much like my dead wife's." Zarkon assessed. Lance glanced at the floor. He didn't like where this was going. Keith didn't seem to either and he growled loudly and yelled, "Don't fucking touch him!" Zarkon looked away from Lance, but gripped him tightly as he glared at Keith.

"Muzzle him." Was all Zarkon commanded and the group of soldiers dashed into action, grabbing Keith and tying a knotted rope into his mouth. Keith fought but it was useless. Lance jumped for him, arm outstreached when they kicked his bound body to the floor, but he was grabbed by the torso by Zarkon's hand.

"Stay." Zarkon commanded, hefting Lance up onto his lap to straddle him, "If you behave I won't hurt the paladin. He may be my enemy but he fights like my kin. He is deserving of respect and punishment alike. You will determin how I proceed." He concluded, pulling Lance to his chest. 

"Sendak. Your party has done well. What do you request as a reward?" Zarkon asked, his hold on Lance loose but warning. Sendak kneeled and Lance's eyes widened quite shocked.

"Your Majesty, I demand no compensation then my regular ask. The black paladin of Voltron when he is aprehended. For my team I ask for newer supplies and a small feast except for Haxus. He has become smitten with the boy and wishes to have him if you find him useless." Sendak said and Zarkon hummed.

"Haxus. What will you do to the boy once you have him?" Zarkon asked sounding neither defensive or interested. Haxus kneeled too.

"I wish to make him my slave, an entertainment piece to unload my woes. I would alter him to fit the standards I desire." Haxus said truthfully and Lance felt himself stiffen.

"What alterations would you make, Haxus?" Zarkon pressed further.

"I would cut off his leg, to begin with." Haxus said and Lance sucked in a fearful breath. Zarkon hummed again.

"Very well. I will have him for the evening, and then my druids will take his blood and see what can be done with it. You can have him until they descover if his body can heal others. My son will contact you when the druids have found an answer. If he only heals himself then he is yours for until his death." Zarkon explained and Lance watched his eyes widen and his smile grow. Lance fisted his hands in the long, floor length red cape Zarkon wore and his breathing sped up. Zarkon was okay with this man chopping him up and using him. He wasn't safe. His small hope that Zarkon would have mercy on him or at least take interest in his ability enough to protect him was thrashed. Lance didn't have a chance to think hard on it ask Zarkon waved his hand.

"Excuse us for the evening. Leave the paladin where he sits and go." Zarkon comanded and the entourage left. It was just Lance, Keith a couple yards away, and the larger than life Emperor. Lance didn't know what was going to happen or what Zarkon wanted. His face was unreadable, but Lance was feeling a gnawing in his stomach growing as his fear rose. Seconds passed and all they did was stare at one another until finally, Zarkon leaned back and unbuckled the heavy metal plate of his armour, pulling it off and exposing his hard and strong chest that was partially covered by a bodyless set of sleeves. Lance panicked. He didn't like where this was going. The comments about his appearance, his nakedness, his size, he didn't trust what was happening and he threw a fist out to punch Zarkon. He was easily caught and brought further into Zarkon's body. Lance pushed against him and punched and fought until Zarkon grabbed him by the throat and squeezed. Lance gagged and clawed, but barley left a scratch. Zarkon said nothing, just pulled down his boxers until they were off his body. He was gentle about everything he did, but Lance knew he wasn't going to stop or even feel remorse.

"Tonight, I will use you. You bring me memories of my life over a hundred years ago and I wish to relish in that feeling." Zarkon finally explained. Lance let tears fall as he croaked out around his crushed windpipe as it healed and broke over and over a simple, "No..." but it didn't matter. Zarkon undid his trousers and exposed an erection thicker than Lance's bicep and almost as long. Zarkon manuevered Lance over it and then pushed in slowly, the bumped, flared tip tearing the tight ring of muscle. Lance's mouth dropped open and he gasped, his eyes shooting as wide as they could go. All sound left the room as he felt his blood drip down Zarkon's cock. Zarkon gripped his arms and pulled him forward, lowering him further down. Lance felt his body stop and start and the pain came and went, healing and unhealing. Soon he fully shiethed Zarkon in him. Zarkon held him there allowing him to heal and stretch before he thrust up. Lance moaned loudly and gasped and cried. He could here Keith in the background, sobbing and crying, begging for Lance to be let go. It hardly registered as the thrusts and gentle caresses began to force his body into arousal. Zarkon palmed his penis, coaxing him further and he gasped, throwing his head back, Zarkon leaned forward and sucked the bruised skin around his neck, kissing him tenderly. Another minute passed and Zarkon came inside him. Lance shook, his body full to a strange point. He felt distended and strange. He gagged and cried, but Zarkon wasn't done. Lance hadn't come yet.

Finally done emptying himself into Lance, Zarkon pulled out with a pop, his penis flaccid and laying against his leg. He lifted Lance so that he could take his still erect dick into his mouth. Lance gripped the helmate Zarkon wore hard as his legs shook uncontrollably. He couldn't stand on his own. Lance was sure that if Zarkon wasn't holding him up that he would have slipped and falled down the Dias steps. Cum dripped down his legs at an amount he couldn't comprehend, but Zarkon didn't want that and used his fingers to plug his body and play with his prostate. Lance moaned loudly and groaned as Zarkon sucked and pressed. He was losing himself and he sobbed. It didn't take long before he finally came into the Emperors mouth. Zarkon sucked him and milked him dry until it hurt. Only then did he let Lance down, catching him as he fell. Lance panted as his eyes grew heavy with pain, fear, loathing, and general exhaustion. He didn't want to, but he knew it was going to happen. He passed out in the Emperor's strong arms. The last thing he observed were Keiths quiet apologies and Zarkon's strong hold on his body.

Then he woke up.

He didn't recognize anything when he woke up this time. The room he was in was bright and white and his head felt very fuzzy. He lifted his hand but it tugged strangely. Lance looked down at it and there were needles sticking out of his wrist and elbow that led to two seperate IV bags. One had a clear substance and the other was clearly blood. He scrunched his face at the sight. What had happened? 

Then a doctor walked in and said, "Oh! Mr. McClain! You're awake! Very good. I was worried you may fall comatose!" Lance glared confusedly at him and the doctor smiled.

"You passed out at a coffee shop and split your skull on the hard floor. You lost a lot of blood and have been passed out for several days." The doctor explained and Lance looked at the bedsheets hard, very confused before he remembered. Ah yeah, Matt was giving him advice then blackness. The doctor patted the bed and said, "I'll go tell your friends that you're okay." and left. Lance felt cold as the door closed and he was left alone with his thoughts and the memories of a violent and painful dream he couldn't seem to shake.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance chats with his friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the gruesome last chapter. Hopefully this one is softer. The next one will also be kind of cruel, but not to the same extent. It will end better though! It won't stay bad! Please comment and let me know how I'm doing and if I can improve! It really helps me!

Beneath  
Hunk pushed throughthe door with a force Lance compared to that of a violent bull and then embraced Lance crushing and crying. Lance gasped but smiled and hugged him back, his chest aching at the harsh memories of what he had just experienced. He could still feel the ghosts of hands on his body, in his body. He shivered and clenched his eyes tight and then hugged hunk tighter than he had meant to. Hunk sobbed into his shoulder and squeezed him even tighter. It was to the point that Lance could no longer breathe, so Lance patted Hunk on the back and leaned back a bit.

"Hunk, buddy, I need air." Lance said airily. Hunk pulled away fast but didn't let go.

"I thought you were in a coma or or a vegitable or dead. Lance! I was so scared! What happened!" Hunk cried, holding Lance by his arms. Lance leaned into his touch and smiled.

"Don't worry Hunk, I'm okay." Lance said but Hunk didn't look convinced. Pidge had come in behind Hunk and waited patiently, quietly. Lance looked over at her and his smile dropped. She was so so quiet which is not something she was usually. Hunk moved off to the side and the moment he did Pidge jumped into his arms and cried into his shirt. Lance held her gently as she did. Her small body shook as she fisted her hands in his hospital gown. Lance became very worried and looked up at Hunk who wiped his own eyes and shrugged.

"Matt told us you collapsed at the cafe. He was crying when he called her. We got here as soon as possible but Matt was already here. He held you until the ambulance arrived, and he rode with you to the hospital. He was covered head to toe in blood. Pidge didn't handle it too well. None of us did really." Hunk explained. Pidge nodded into his shirt and said, "I thought you were dead...I don't wanna lose you. You're like my brother too..." very muffled. Lance kissed her on the top of her head and rubbed her back.

"I'm sorry guys... I didn't mean to upset you." Lance said, squeezing Pidge until she groaned and pulled away. Hunk patted his thigh and Lance stiffened, gasping. Fear gripped his body as he was back in Zarkon's arms, his large clawed hands holding his thighs and chest. Then he was back and two terrified sets of eyes were on him.

"Lance...?" Hunk asked, holding the hand he had placed on his thigh away from Lance. Lance smiled a bit pained.

"Sorry, I guess I hurt more than just my head when I fell." Lance said and Hunk sighed, very scared. Lance grabbed his hand and held it.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine with me. I'll talk to the doctor when he gets back and see what happened and do whatever it takes to get better!" Lance said, forcing himself to sound happy. Hunk nodded and then pulled his hand away from Lance's and tugged Pidge with him.

"We'll go get the doctor" Hunk said and pushed Pidge out the door, pausing. He turned back to Lance, a worried expression on his face.

"Lance, what's been going on lately? You've been a little strange lately and its been making everyone nervous." Hunk said and Lance broke their eye contact, clenching his fists in the blankets.

"...I... I don't know how to explain it Hunk..."Lance said, eyes welling with tears. He blinked them away and covered his face with a hand. Hunk eyed him, also almost crying, then he left the room. Neither knew what to say. Lance wasn't upset by this at all. He knew Hunk was going to be there for him, but right now neither knew what was going on or how to help it. Lance decided he was going to talk to Hunk as soon as he could, but he wasn't sure what he would say. Lance sighed and held his knees against his chest and decided to figure it out later.

The doctor came in then and Lance looked up. He smiled and walked over to the bed, holding a small clipboard in his hand. Lance eyed it, wondering what it could say. The doctor noticed his unease and sat in the chair beside him, getting into the 'I have doctor things to say but don't worry' pose Lance had seen countless times when he had been in hospitals before. It didn't make him feel better.

"Well, Mr. McClain, you aren't in any danger from the head truama. All of the monitoring we've been doing has shown no lasting or permenant damage to your brain. Aside from some dizzy spells and pain, you'll be fit as a fiddle in a week." The doctor explained and Lance sighed in relief.

"However," The doctor said, putting Lance on edge again, "We aren't sure yet what caused you to collapse. With no history of seizures or stroke in your family it was unlikely that it was either of those things, but we checked anyways which all came back negative. We checked your blood for your iron levels and for hormonal, and autoimmune disorders and all came back negative as well. You weren't suffering dehydration, or overheating either, so we've ordered a few more tests to be done. Until those get approved, you are clear to leave and go home with your friends." Lance smiled and said a simple, "Thanks, Doc." and the doctor nodded, unattached the IV's, and left the room. Lance waited a second before climbing out of the hospital bed and looked for his clothes.

Lance found them on one of the chairs in the room. He was aproximately 859% sure it was Hunk. Lance picked them up and realized it wasn't the clothes he remembered wearing when he was with Matt. He smiled. Hunk was so sweet. He quickly changed into the clothes, mindful of the IV sores, and then left the room. Hunk stood up first then Pidge. Lance smiled at them both and then wrapped them both in a group hug.

Then they drove home. 

Lance was feeling very tired, but he didn't fall asleep. He needed to talk to Hunk. So he forced himself to stay awake until they got home. Hunk helped Lance into their dorm and got him settled into his bed, then made some food. Lance stayed awake for all of it, just being both happy and nervous. Hunk handed him his food and finally settled onto his own bed and waited. Lance noticed just how scared he was as he averted his eyes and played with his hands. Lance took a sip of his soup then put the bowl down and coughed to get Hunk's attention.

"Listen, I know you want me to talk about what ever has been bothering me, but I can't. I don't have the words to explain anything going on right now since I really don't know whats happening myself." Lance said to Hunk honestly. Hunk sighed and silence ensued for a minute before Hunk finally responded.

"It's kinda unlike you to not have any words, Lance." Hunk said, smiling coyly and Lance laughed out loud.

"Oh, god! That's so true!" Lance exclaimed and Hunk relaxed a bit. Lance was still off, but he was still Lance. Hunk would just have to keep an eye on him and make sure his friend wouldn't get sick again. 

"You know, if you ever do find out how to tell me whatever is happening to you, I'll be here. I'll listen no matter how it sound." Hunk said. Lance smiled at him.

"Of course, buddy! I know you'll have my back no matter what!" Lance stated and Hunk smiled back. It was a content yet tired scene and it lulled Lance. His head hurt a bit and he was sure he needed rest. He didn't think he had been getting any as of late. He looked at Hunk and could tell Hunk understood.

"I'll be here when you wake up." Hunk said.

"Thanks man, that means a lot." Lance said and then layed down. The moment his head hit the pillow he was asleep.

Then he woke up.

This time things were different. The world was an all consuming void and he felt his body being destroyed and created all at once. There was no pain, just the discomfort that came with being built then broken. Lance felt dizzy at the rush of all the sensations until he heard a voice. It was crying and scared and very familiar. But, there was nothing around, just this dark endless void. Lance called out but his voice was consumed by his body and the blackness around him. The other, however was around him and became him. It was so audible that it felt like he was the movements of the air creating it.

"Where am I?" The voice asked. Lance called to it to comfort but nothing came of it. He heard sobbing.

"What am I? Everything is wrong. I can't find myself anymore." The voice said, changing deeper, distorting greatly. Lance wanted to jump back as fear gripped him. It sounded like that ink feathered bird. The sobbing continued as the voice continued to change. Tears fell like rain and soaked the ground, building up an ocean around Lance until they were submerged. Lance looked around. He was no longer in an inky void, but under water. Everything around him was submerged. Buildings, cars, trees all under the water. Lance walked around looking at everything. It was strange and different, yet familiar. The sobbing died down a bit and now sounded more like exhausted mumbles of someone fighting sleep. Lance listened until the voice finally did fall into a deep slumber and soon Lance felt himself falling to sleep as well.

Then he woke up.

Lance looked around and saw he was in a strange cell with dim purple lighting and he remembered what had happened. His body hardly hurt at all, but he remembered still and cried into his hands.

"Lance!" Keith yelled and ran to his side. Keith didn't dare touch Lance. He wasn't sure what would hurt him and what wouldnt so instead, Keith chose to ask him, "What's going on? Are you alright?" Lance wanted to choke him. Of course he wasn't.

"No! I not okay! How could I be!" Lance hollered and Keith wrung his hands.

"I...I know... Lance I'm so so sorry. I should have never picked you up! This is all my fault!" Keith exclaimed, clearly on the cusp of fully freak ing out. But before either had the chance to do so, the cell door slid over and there stood a smug Haxus. Keith maneuvered himself in front of Lance growling, but Haxus just chuckled before having Keith detained. Lance back peddled away from Haxus, but he was no match. Haxus strode to him and lifted him by the hair, smiling as Lance pulled away.

"Oh, how I will love to try your body soon. An adjustment will be made bfore then though. Tonight, I take yout leg." Haxus explained, dropping Lance to the ground. Another set of soldiers grabbed onto Lance and drug him out. Lance kicked and screamed harder than before and was dropped a few time, but it was utterly useless as every time had been. The group arrived at a strange room and Lance was cuffed by the wrists, ankles, throat, and thighs to a flat table. Keith was drug in after and was bound to a pole in the corner. He was as vulgar as possible. Lance tried to focus on Keith but found he couldn't as Haxus trailed his claws over Lance's leg.

"Tonight," Haxus said, fingering the skin above Lance's knees, "You lose this."


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nasty things happen but so do good

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super sorry to not have posted in a bit. My life get stupid hectic and its been ages since Ive had internet. I'l update again shortly. Thanks again for all the comments and Kudos!

Beneath

Chapter Seven

Lance squirmed and fought against the bindings but nothing worked. His panic didn't see that though and he cried and tugged until he had no skin on his wrists and ankles. His voice bled raw when Haxus gripped his thigh again causing Lance to sob harder and scream a choppy scream.

"This won't take too long, or, at least it shouldn't with your healing abilities." Haxus said, maerveling at the taught skin over strong, lean legs. His hand gripped tighter against the dark skin and Lance sucked in a sharp breath. Keith bit out a cuss and series of vulgar words, but Lance couldn't hear him. all he could fous on was Haxus and what was about to happen. 

"Fuck me..." Lance whispered, angry and scared to himself, but to his dismay, Haxus heard.

"Of course, dear. Later of course." Haxus chuckled and released Lance's thigh, turning to face a strange cloaked figure.

"Cut through the shin below the knee. I want to be able to lock him legs over my shoulders. And muzzle the annoying one. I only want to hear my pet's agonized voice, not the voice of Zarkon's favorite paladin." Haxus ordered. The figure nodded, its face covered in a long, beaked mask. Lance wasn't sure entirely if it was a mask or it was actually it's face, but the thought passed when Haxus sat on a chair and crossed his legs and the cloaked figure began working. It first drew a line on Lance's shin about midway down and then pulled a large round saw out from under the table. Lance shook. He now knew that this was an amputation room and that this was common, this really would be quick. 

The masked person attached the saw to the edge of the table with a large clamp and positioned it over the line it had drawn, sliding it slightly to fit over the mark. Haxus nodded in approval and Lance closed his eyes. All was quiet for a moment before Keith began to yell and cuss again. Lance could tell he was being gagged as asked. That meant there was no more time. Keith couldn't help him. No one could help him. 

He heard the saw turn on and he cried.

Pain bloomed in his shin as the saw swiftly cut through flesh and bone, Lance screamed, eyes shooting open and he arched off the table as far as the restraints would allow. The pain subsided almost immeadiately and he heard multiple gasps and one, "What the fuck!" from Haxus. Lance looked down, still in relitive agony, and gasped. The cloaked person held his leg off the table, which wasn't surprising. What was surprising was the black tar the spilled from both halves of his leg. The cloaked figure dropped his leg as the tar began to pull the halves back together. The inky substance splurted from Lance's shin and reached like a hand for the missing pieces of itself and Lance watched as the oil from his thigh formed little hands and began to piece himself back together. Everyone was still, in shock, and let it happen for a minute until Haxus snapped out of it and growled.

"Don't stand around, fool! Take the leg away! Get it out of here before he heals himself!" Haxus shrieked and the hooded figure nodded, grabbing the dropped piece and dashing through the sliding door. Inky hands quickly followed, like blood shooting from a wound, and grappling for the door. 

Lance panted and began to feel light headed as his body finally gave up trying to reattach itself and just began to heal over. Lance layed his head down and groaned, all going quiet around him again. Just like before, Haxus broke the silence.

Haxus strode over to him and gripped his shoulders in a vice making LAnce shriek and he spit and yelled into Lance's face.

"What the FUCK are you!" Haxus yelled and Lance just said, "I don't know!" Haxus growled and slapped him hard causing blood to drip from his nose.

"Your body bled like the bog beasts! How can that be possible! Is that how you survived the bite? Is that how you can heal? Where you born from their flesh?" Haxus inquired, sneering and Lance shook his head.

"No! I'm just a person! I don't know whats happening!" Lance explained. Haxus chuckled softly, deeply, angrily.

"The water cursed your body, formed you into its rotted beasts, and I was gifted you to tame. How lucky I am." He said. Lance wanted to die. His tone was the same as before. Lance was still going to be used, even if Haxus didn't know what he was.

About that moment, the cloaked person came back, its clothes covered in the splattered masses of Lance's strange body. The person was clearly disheveled, but it had a job to do. Haxus smirked and rubbed over the scarred but healed stump of Lance's leg. Lance panted at the fealing, it finally hitting him that his leg was really gone.

"Druid. Unchain him and the paladin and have them taken to my quarters. I have a mission to depart to and want them with me. Keep the brash one muzzled and my pet bound to my bed post. I don't want them to touch." Haxus ordered and turned back to Lance.

"Tonight, I will take your body kneeling before me. You will feel more pleasure than given by any other person before and if I so wish it, I will have you brought back to our druids to make you concieve for me. Your place is in my bed, taking my seed." Haxus said and he turned away, exiting through the doorway. Lance was panicked now. He remembered how Zarkon had felt. How the flared tip of his penis tore hiim as it breached his body. Lance panted. He was there again, the gentle touched, his crushed windpipe, his moans, his gasps, the pain, the pleasure. He hated it. It would happen again.

Lance didn't know when the druid undid the last of the clamps around his body, but he did know when he lurched up and headbutted the druid hard enough to break the beak mask. The creature shrieked and Lance leaped from the table and went to dash for the door, even without his leg. He, obviously didn't make it as he fell to the ground with a yelp and began to crawl to the door. The injured druid ran to a control panel and locked the exit and called for back up. Lance pounded on the door with his fists and yelled, howled, until his fists bled. Anger and fear overwpowered him and he felt his body filling with a power and he stood. 

The druid gasped as Lance turned to it, his fingers growing and turning black with a mossy rot. The gre sharp and the poison coarsed up his limbs. Lance felt his mouth open and his teeth grazed against his lips, now longer and sharper like glass. Lance heard himself speak and it sounded like the trill of a many different sets of voices using his mouth.

"Let me out." The many voices said, using Lance's tongue wich now felt thinner and longer and maybe even forked. The druid shook and seemed scared but only called further for more back up. Lance snarled.

"Let me out!" He yelled, images of his imagined weaknesses against Zarkon flashing through him, and he lunged. 

Lance had never been violent. Ever. It wasn't who he was. Sure, he had gotten into fist fights with bullies or over protecting his sister, but if he could avoid a fight he did. Even when he fought as a child, it was never malicious. He never fought to do damage, just to scare away. This time, without his control, he was out to kill and he sobbed as he felt the glass shard teeth sink into the throat of the druid, ripping him to shreds. Lance, or more actually, the strange beast using his morphed body, spit the person out onto the floor to bleed out. Lance screamed and pounded against the controls and the table and anything else he could hit until the other soldiers came in. Lance growled at the group of 15, maybe more and lunged, his thin frame empowered like the sun and he ripped many to shreds as he was shot and stabbed. His body fighting against his own morallity until he was pinned to the ground. He thrashed at first until he was reduced to a sobbing fit. Lance couldn't escape and his body faded from the monster it had become back into himself and he let himelf be carried away to Haxus's quarters where he was collared and chained to the bed frame.

Some time had passed when Keith was brough in and chained to the floor, ungagged. Lance was surprised they undid the gag since Haxus had ordered his voice be bound, but didn't say anything about it. All was silent between them for a few minutes as the ship they were caged on set sail. Finally Keith spoke.

"What are you?" Keith asked and Lance laugh.

"Dear. God. Do I fucking wish I knew." Lance said, still chuckling then crying. "I don't know whats happeneing and why its happening to me. I was just with my friends, going to school and parties, I was happy. Now I'm a worthless monster who is only good as a fuck toy to an angry soldier. Plus, I got you captured. Had you lower your gaurd just for a nap. You shouldn't have even been in Galra territory, but because I got bitten here we fucking are! I ruin everything and, as I just found out, I can become a psychotic homicidal monster!" Lance ranted, yelling and sobbing. Keith sighed.

"You aren't worthless Lance and none of this is your fault." Keith said, the his voice caught on a sob. "It's mine. I got attached to you after you woke up. We haven't known each other long and even though you were kind of annoying, you were fun and interesting. I've never met someone like you. I let my gaurd down because I wanted to have little bit of annoying optimism you had and I ruined you! I'm a paladin of Voltron and I knew better!" and Keith trew out his hand, bashing it into the wall he was cuffed to. Lance wanted to growl at him.

"You don't have any idea what I'm going through Keith!" Lance yelled and Keith's eyes widened looking at him and silence ensuedf or a minute until Keith said, "You're right. I only watched everything. I only got to see and hear every single thing you went through. I couldn't possibly know any iota of what you're going through." He was angry, but Lance was angrier.

"It's not the same! Shut up!" LAnce yelled and this time Keith didn't say anything back even though he wanted to. They stayed quiet for a while until they heard steps coming closer down the stairs to the room. Lance tensed adn he began to hyperventelate as he watched the door. it opened with a wide swing and lance pushed himself back against the wall fearfully. Haxus was back and he strolled into the room and glared at Keith.

"Disgusting. You were specifically ordered to be gagged. I guess its inevitable when your whore kills 11 men and your prisoner is the only witness." Haxus said and strode past him confidently to Lance who shrank back, his lanky body seeming smaller than ever before. Haxus ignored his fear and pushed him facedown into the bed, pulling the black underwear he had to shreds. Lance gasped and began to thrash, but Haxus said, "If you fight me, I will punish your friend there. Anything you deny me will be enacted on him and his body won't heal like yours." Lance grew still and Haxus released Lance and undressed himself from his armor. Once completely naked Haxus groaned and leaned into Lance, kissing his neck and rutting against him. Lance could tell Haxus was built different than Zarkon, a detail he begged to forget, but noted anyway.

Zarkon had been flared. A wide, flat tip that Lance had never seen outside of strange dildos. Haxus was different. His tip felt rounded and thick with folded ridges down until the shaft, which was thick and muscular and bumpy. The tip also had a strange taper at the top and a large bulb at the base connecting his penis to the soft, fur covered body. Lance could feel every bit of it as Haxus rubbed against him. Soon, he grew tired of rutting and he flipped Lance over onto his back and immeadiately began to suck on Lance's flaccid cock. Lance gasped at the sudden action and moaned involuntarily and Haxus worked his body to life. Lance writhed both trying to fight and not. He may have been mad at keith, but not enough to let Haxus rape him too.

Without any warning, Haxus pushed three long fingers inside Lance and he gasped and tried to push away, his stumped leg doing nothing but mussing the sheets beneath him. Lance moaned in pain and Haxus pulled off of him now hardened member and leaned up to kiss him. His tongue snaked into Lance's mouth and began to run along every surface it could. Lance grabbed onto Haxus's shoulders, trying to push away but refusing to do so, again for Keith. The whole situation was making him lightheaded. The feeling of thin, long fingers probing him open, and the long slender tongue searching his mouth, it was driving Lance mad and without him wanting to, he began to cry. 

Haxus pulled away and licked Lance's tears and Lance turned his head to the side, more tears following. Haxus grinned.

"Dear boy, it will do no good."Haxus said and plunged his fingers deeper. Lance arched and gasped and Haxus smirked. "Your tears won't stop me." Then he pulled out the digits and guided his strange bulbous penis into Lance.

It didn't hurt like Zarkon's did. Lance could say it felt more like the first time he had ever bottomed for someone, they had pushed in too fast and used little to no lube so it was a rough time. This was inherently different though. His first time bottoming like this had been with a girl in his freshman year of college. She had wanted to try using a strap on and Lance wanted to as well. He did some research on how it worked and how to clean yourself and whatnot, but didn't delve in too deeply. She had done almost none. She watched the occasional gay porn and thought she had it covered. When she pushed in after a bit of fingering dry, Lance had tore a bit and they had to stop. They laughed about and even though he was sore, Lance wanted to try again with lube. This time she fit and it didn't hurt too much but Lance still felt full and it took a long time to orgasm. This was different becasue Lance wasn't laughing and he didn't want this.

Haxus grabbed Lance's left leg, the severed leg, and hefted it over his shoulder and began to fuck him harder. Lance moaned and panted and held tightly to Haxus's neck as he was pounded into hard and fast. Unlike with Zarkon, Haxus didn't orgasm as quickly. He kept slowing down to prolong it. Lance wound up coming first, twice, before Haxus actually came into him. Lance assumed he was done until, panting, Haxus flipped him over and pushed in again. This time, Haxus pushed into him harder and more forcefully until the strange bulb at the base of his penis went past the ring of anal muscle. Lance shreiked and grabbed at Haxus's thigh, but Haxus just pushed his head down further into the matress. This time around, Lance didn't reach orgasm. He was overstimulated and couldn't get hard again. 

Haxus finished quickly this time, but he didn't pull out. Lance attempted to pull away but found himself stuck. The bulb wasn't diminishing and, from what he could feel, seemed to be growing and preventing Lance from getting away from Haxus. Haxus just chuckled and pulled Lance to sit in his lap, kissing his neck.

"From your reaction, you didn't seem to expect being knotted." Haxus said, wrapping an arm around Lance, the other worming its way between them to finger at his hole. Lance squeaked when he felt Haxus rub his taut ring.

"You know, there is nothing more satisfying then falling asleep sheithed inside the warm body of your lover." Haxus said and Lance snarled.

"I don't love you and I never could." Lance said defiantly and Haxus laughed.

"Be that as it may, you'll be sleeping with me nestled inside of you." Haxus said, caressing Lance's stomach and sighing.

"In the morning, I will send a message for the druids to prepare you a womb. I want to see your body distended with my growing seed. You will be a lovely mother to my children." Hacus said and Lance covered his mouth, not trusting himself to be good. He spared a glance at Keith who covered his face with his hands, but peered wide eyed through his fingers at Lance. Lance groaned and looked away.

Haxus yawned and pushed Lance into the bed, spooning the smaller boy. Haxus wrapped a leg around Lance, covered them, and then breathed a sigh of comfort before kissing Lance gently all down his neck. Moments later and Haxus had fallen asleep. Neither Lance nor Keith could. Neither boy spoke for what seemed like hours, the ship rocking back and forth as it sped along the canal. Shortly, Lance felt Haxus's dick pop from his body and Lance gasped and sighed, rolling to a more comfortable position, the rubbed his ass a bit. It was sore and with every slight movement, more and more semen spilled from him, wetting his legs. He felt disgusting and wanted nothing more than a hug and a bath. He looked at Keith who wiped his eye and attempted to look unaffected.

"Lance..."Keith whispered and Lance looked at him. "When we get out of here I want you to meet my brother." Keith said and Lance scoffed.

"When..." Lance repeated and Keith nodded.

"Yeah. When. Lance, he can help you. You were right earlier. I don't know what you are feeling and even though I was violated too, you were the one who...you know... Anyways, so was my brother. Sendak hurt him too... He still struggles with it. But... He knows and he will help you." Lance scoffed again and Haxus tightened his grip around his waist, moaning and pulling him closer. Lance tensed, fearing he had woken him, but the breathing remained shallow puffs against Lance's moist neck.

"Keith...I don't believe you. We aren't getting out of here. I'm trapped with this man, being forced to conceive children I don't want." Lance said and his voice hitched. "This is my life now and... and if I don't get used to it now, I'll be worse for wear later on..." and he sobbed quietly. Haxus tightened his arm around Lance's waist and murmmered incoherently against his ear. Keith sniffled and turned away. Nothing he could say would change this for Lance. The situation seemed set in stone and neither were hopeful about getting out at all.

The night drug on and neither actually slept. Lance just closed his eyes and focused on the heartbeat of the man holding him. A gentle bump bump in his chest that kept Lance from spiraling into insanity until the sun could be seen through the cracks in the boards of the door. Haxus rose early with a groan and a kiss. Lance tried to pull into himself, but Haxus ignored it and forced Lance to kiss him before pushing him into the matress, caressing his new stump.

"Good morning Love." Haxus said before sucking on Lance's neck, his erection pressing already against Lance's leg, Lance sucked in a fearful breath, but let it out when a knock echoed around the room.

"What." Haxus asked as more of a statement. The voice on the other side of the door cleared their throat and said, "A ship approaches, appearing to be Prince Lotor's. All crew is required for his appearance on our ship." Haxus growled but pushed away from Lance anyways to ready himself for the day. Lance and Keith sat without making a sound as Haxus dressed and left. Once Lance was sure he wasn't coming back for a minute, he grabbed the blanket and tied it around his form, cloaking his whole body. Lance knew Lotor was going to come down and inspect him and he wanted an ounce of decency before he was being looked at again like a piece of meat.

Just as soon as he had finished wrapping himself in the fabric, the door opened and in came three gaurds. Two unchained Keith from the floor and drug him-as per usual- kicking and screaming up the stairs. The third hefted Lance into his arms like a child and carried him onto the deck as well. Lance shook and shivered as he was brought closer and closer to this new threat. Finally he was deposited at the feet of a looming figure with lavender skin. Lance figure this person, with an air of dignity, was Prince Lotor. If Zarkon was his father, Lance had expected a larger person to be his son, but it seemed to not be the case. Lotor was thin, with long hair, pointed ears, and high cheekbones. He was threatening in a way that differed from Zarkon, but was still there. Lance feared him. Lance feared everyone right now.

"My father, The Emperor Zarkon, has granted me keep and expiramentation on this boy and the Red Paladin, so my crew and I will be taking them and our leave immeadiately." Lotor said, his voice projecting across the flat wood of the deck. Haxus growled and stepped closer defensively, but one look from Lotor stopped him in his tracks.

"Need I remind you, leuitenant Haxus, that punishment for disobeying a direct order from me is death?" Lotor asked as his own soldiers grappled with the thrashing keith. Haxus balled his fists and glared hard at the deck wood.

"No, my Prince." Haxus stated in a clearly pissed tone. Lotor nodded and turned away, another soldier picking up Lance carefully, with an almost tender hold, and carried him across the connecting plank onto Lotor's ship. Once they were onboard and out of earshot, a tender, accented voice whispered, "Don't worry love, you're safe now." as she deposited Lance onto a cot. The two ships parted ways and were sailing away when the soldier who carried Lance finally tore off her helmate. Long waves of white hair fell across her back and lilac skin changed back into a dark, sunny brown like Lance's but ages darker. She looked back at him with a smile and Lance blushed fiercely. Lance opened his mouth to speak, but the sound of someone running grabbed his attention and he saw Keith, free of restraints, running towards him. Lance gasped, opened his arms and let Keith dive into him.

"Lance! I'm so sorry!" He yelled as Lance held him. Lance sighed and burried his face in his hair as two more soldiers unmasked themselves and came to stand next to the beautiful woman. Keith sat up and wiped his eyes, finally introducing everyone.

"This is Allura. She is Princess to the rebellion and a Paladin. Beside her is her advisor Coran." Keith said, pausing to let Coran pull off his helmate to reveal a gentle mustached face and a head full of luxurious red hair. He seemed very fatherly and Lance felt instantly comforted.

"And to his right is my brother, Shiro." Keith said and the last person pulled off their helmate. This man was large, but not in a Sendak, Haxus, Zarkon way, just strong. He had a square jaw, strong eyes and a soft expression. He seemed fatherly as well. Lance let his eyes travel from the scar on the man's nose to the fake arm and Lance knew this man had seen some horrid things too. Lance looked at the deck of this new ship and sobbed. No one here was going to hurt him.

As he began to cry, everyone immeadiately began to panic for him. Keith wrapped him in a hug, Allura covered her mouth, Coran came to sit beside him and Shiro kneeled in front of him, gently touching his severed leg.

"Hey, it's okay, you're safe here." Shiro restated and Lance nodded.

"I know. I'm so relieved!" Lance choked out and cried harder. Shiro sighed with a small smile and ruffled his hair

"You look like you could use some rest. Let me cary you to a private room for you to sleep." Shiro said. Lance nodded and let Shiro lift him. His stong arms rocking him like the waves of the vastest ocean rocked their boat and before they even reached the room, Lance was asleep.

And then he woke up

Light shone in through the window of his room and he glanced around. Hunk was still there like he promised but he was completely asleep. Lance smiled, feeling comforted at the sight and he sat up, bed groaning a bit at the movement. Hunk started awake and looked at Lance who held up his hand.

"Don't worry Hunk, its just me." Lance said, but Hunk wasn't comforted at all. He dove from the bed and wrapped Lance in a hug.

"HEy, buddy! Whats the big deal?" Lance asked and Hunk kissed his head.

"You slept like two whole days Lance! I thought you went into a coma or something!" Hunk shrieked and Lance sighed.

"I guess I just really needed the rest..." Lance said, chuckling a bit and Hunk nodded. 

"I guess so man!" Hunk said, releasing him, but still holding his hands. Hunk just stared at him for a minute, thumbs caressing the soft skin over Lance's knuckles before leaning forward and kissing his forehead once more.

"I'm going to go get us some food. You need to shower. Call me if you need anything." Hunk said and Lance smiled at him before throwing himself into Hunk's arms, hugging him tightly.

"I love you bud." Lance said and Hunk sniffled again as the pulled apart. 

"I love you too, man. Get clean so you me and Pidge can have a day to just relax." Hunk said. LAnce nodded and his friend left their shared dorm to go buy some food. Lance, for the first time in about a week, felt almost safe with no lingering pain running across his body.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance tries to talk to his friends, but nothing goes as planned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Later than I expected to post it, but I have been very very tired lately. Next chapter should be up sometime soon. Thank you for being patient.

Beneath  
Lance took a shower like Hunk had asked him to. He shampooed and conditioned, soaped and scrubbed, shaved and moisturized. By the time he had gotten out he felt like a brand-new individual who owned a body that didn't seem to pass between two realms of existence. Lance rubbed the towel over his head again to get any remaining droplets of water when Pidge and Hunk came through the dorm room door.

"We're here!" Pidge called loudly and Lance smiled.

"Pidge! Hunk! I hope you brought food!" Lance said and practically ran to them. Hunk nodded and held up the five large boxes of different flavors of pizza and two smaller boxes of hot wings. Lance's stomach audibly growled and his mouth watered, reminding him that he hadn't eaten in several days. Lance wiped his mouth and led the way to the common room where he and Hunk had their TV and Dining table set up and cleared away a space for them all to eat. Hunk followed behind and set the boxes down while Pidge set up the plates. Lance plopped himself down onto the hard, cheap chair and opened the box of hot wings, grabbing the majority and dumping them onto the plate in front of him. Hunk sighed, but didn't stop him, silently happy he bought two large boxes of the wings since he wouldn't be getting any otherwise. Pidge didn't care either way since she wasn't a fan of spicy foods the way Hunk and Lance seemed to be. She could handle it, she just preferred to not.

Once settled, they all began to eat, intermittently making jokes, or stealing the others food, and play fighting. Once they were done eating, Pidge brought out her gaming system and suggested they migrate to the TV. Lance and Hunk agreed and they let her hook everything up. While waiting, Hunk became a bit fidgety. Lance scowled and asked, "Hey, buddy, you alright?" Hunk nodded and chuckled.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" Hunk said, clearly lying. Lance frowned and Pidge groaned.

"He's lying." Pidge said and Hunk gasped.

"Pidge!" He yelled accusingly, but she rolled her eyes and continued to hook up the system.

"He's really worried about you, Lance. You were asleep for two days. You cried several times in your sleep, and screamed even. Campus police showed up several times and even emergency services to check on you. Hunk was even excused from class to make sure your condition didn't worsen." Pidge explained and Lance frowned more, suddenly sad. Hunk sat quiet, the mood ruined.

"Thank you, Hunk." Lance said and then leaned onto his shoulder. Hunk wrapped an arm around him and held him tightly as the TV sprung to life with a fully connected gaming system. Pidge turned around and sighed.

"Listen, Lance, we are both really concerned about you. The doctors said you may be narcoleptic or maybe having seizures, but they aren't sure. All the tests they ran showed all of everything being totally fine so they just told us to watch you closely and to not let you get overly excited about anything. They told us you were negative for drug use but to not rule it out either... so... Hunk and I decided that when you woke up, we would talk to you about it." Pidge explained and paused, eyes downcast before continuing.

"Lance... What's going on? Did you do... anything at a party you shouldn't have? Or... I dunno... Maybe someone hurt you? You can tell us Lance." Pidge said and Hunk nodded. Lance frowned and looked at the floor for a bit.

"You'll think I'm crazy..." Lance muttered.

"You already told me that Lance. And I told you that it didn't matter, that you're my friend and I'll listen to you no matter what." Hunk said, holding Lance. Pidge grabbed his hand and squeezed.

"Yeah, nothing you say will make us think badly of you." Pidge explained and Lance sighed, pulling his knees to his chest.

"I... I think I... Um... Go to the future or something when I fall asleep?" Lance said. Silence passed over them for a minute before Pidge growled, "Lance! This is serious!"

"I am being serious!" Lance howled. " Every time I go to sleep I wake up in some flooded world where everything is different and wrong! There are these monsters made of ink or mold that pull people in the water! And there are these people who are large and they want to control everything and are awful and brutal. And... And there’s this boy named Keith who tried to protect me but... but he couldn't and I got hurt. Really badly. Even when i wake up back here, everything is still as vivid as if I were still there. Just thinking about it now makes me want to cry! And I know it isn't a dream because dreams don't just continue from their stopping point for over a week! They aren't consistent! They aren't story driven!" Lance explained, his stress about the situation finally spilling out in a large, nonsensical mess. Pidge and Hunk just stared fearfully.

"Lance... That... Sounds..." Pidge stared and Lance stood to his feet to stare her down, tears forming in his eyes, his fists balled at his sides.

"I know how it sounds Pidge! I'm not delusional! I'm scared!" Lance yelled and then turned and ran away. Hunk and Pidge called after him, but he was already out the door before they could come after him. He ran and ran until his lungs began to burn and his legs shook. He slowed and sat down on a bus bench and breathed heavily before looking around. He didn't recognize anything and wasn't sure how he had gotten there. He sighed, mad at his idiotic impulse to run away like that. It didn’t matter now though, he needed to get home or somewhere he recognized. Lance stood and searched his pockets for his phone but found nothing. His heart dropped as his mind flashed backwards to him setting it down beside a fully eaten box of pizza and wings and he groaned loudly. The sun was setting. Lance was becoming nervous. He needed a phone.

Lance walked away from the bus station and down the street towards a busier part of town as street lights flicked on to counter the setting sun. Pay phones weren’t common anymore so Lance felt the need to find an alternate source for phoning. He asked passers by to borrow one but none relented. Time passed and the sun fully set and everything had closed. People no longer milled about and Lance was more lost than before. The only place left open was a bar at the end of a darkened street. He was sure he could use a phone there. Bars, at least in his experience, had landlines still and as long as he bought something he would be welcome to sit and wait for his friends to come pick him up. He sighed, pulled out his wallet and went inside.

Lance took note of the small but nicely kept bar. There was a rounded bar where a few people sat. Along the wall going all the way to the back wall were booths and a few tables. The floor was tiled very dark and the ceiling was of some kind of copper colored metal. Lance found it to be fairly nice. He walked over to the bartender, a tall and thin man with a flat nose, and asked if they had a landline. The man nodded and Lance sighed.

“Oh, thank god!” Lance said, “I’m very lost and need to call a friend to pick me up. Can I please use your phone? I promise I’ll buy something!”

“You aren’t trying to start anything are you?” The bartender asked, scowling at Lance questioningly. Lance shook his head.

“No sir, I’m a college student at the local university. I Live on campus and don’t generally leave for much, but today I got lost when I went on an impromptu walk to try and clear my head. I’m just trying to get home is all…” Lance stated. The bartender glared at him for a minute before handing him a corded phone from the wall. 

“Make it quick, okay?” The man said and Lance nodded, dialing the only number he had memorized. The phone rang three times before Hunk answered with a cautious, “Uh… Hello?” Lance smiled and sighed.

“Hunk, its Lance.” Lance said, but was cut off before he could say more.

“OH MY GOD, LANCE ARE YOU OKAY! WHERE ARE YOU?” Hunk yelled and Lance sighed again.

“I’m fine Hunk, I’m at a bar called The Great Whale. It was the only place that let me use their phone.” Lance said and Hunk was silent for a minute before saying, “I’m glad you’re okay Lance, but I need you to know that I am very very very upset with you for running off. Lance, we don’t know when you’ll pass out next or whats even going on and you just ran off! We… We didn’t know if you were safe, or awake, or even alive anymore!” Lance nodded, his eyes beginning to water.

“I know Hunk, it was stupid.” Lance said, and Hunk butted in again,

“Yeah, really stupid. We don’t want to lose you Lance.” Hunk said and Lance sniffled.

“I’ll be there soon okay? Just stay put.” Hunk said and Lance nodded.

“Okay.” Lance said and then Hunk hung up. Lance wiped his face and handed the receiver back to the bartender.

“Can I buy a soda? No liquor, just like… a coke maybe?” Lance asked. The bartender nodded and poured him a large glass of coke. Lance handed him some cash, sipped from it then went to the bathroom to wash his face. 

Lance turned off the water and wiped his face and just listened for a minute to the voices outside the bathroom, his eyes closed and the cacophony of their words mulling together until one voice cut through all the others. The bartender’s voice as he said, “Ah, welcome back Mister Zarkon. You’re usual?” and Lance’s blood went cold.

“Yes. I’ll take it in the back whenever its ready.” The all to familiar voice stated. Lance began to hyperventilate. His voice sounded the same as it had before when his all too large hands gripped his body and held them connected. He heard the door down from the bathrooms open and close as Zarkon went into the back room. Lance began to panic slightly. What should he do? He would surely have a full breakdown if he saw Zarkon in his full glory here, but if he stayed hidden in this bathroom, it wouldn’t be any better. Lance swallowed and straightened his shaking body then exited the bathroom. He held his breath as he went back to the front room to leave. As his hand reached for the door, the bartender stopped him with a simple, “Hey kid.” Lance’s heart dropped as he peeked around at the man who waved him over. Scared to cause a scene and draw the attention of Zarkon, Lance walked over to the end of the bar closest to the bathroom where the bartender stood. 

“Yes sir?” Lance asked and the bartender handed him his wallet. Lance sighed.

“You left this on the bar and I didn’t want you to forget it. Take care kid.” The bartender said and Lance smiled. But, before he could thank him, the back-room door opened and the imposing form of a man emerged from it. His skin was lightly tanned with dark blond hair slicked back and shorn short. His eyes were thin and hard with aging lines around the edges. His mouth was pulled down into a frown as he glared down at Lance’s suddenly frozen form. Suddenly, everything fell away. Darkness engulfed everything destroying sound and images and the two were alone. Zarkon looked around at the now darkened world, confused and slightly amused. He looked at Lance, his voice deep and graveled, saying, “How did you do this?” Lance said nothing, only stood frozen. The amusement left the very human face when Lance didn’t answer and he walked forward with purpose. Lance yelled and back peddled away but wasn’t fast enough. Zarkon gripped his shirt and held the thin boy up above the ground slightly. Lance scrambled for purchase against the air, choking, sobbing. Full of fear.

“Tell me what’s going on boy or I’ll make you feel a world of pain you couldn’t comprehend.” Zarkon ordered and Lance sobbed more before yelling, “I don’t know! I don’t know!” Zarkon growled.

“Yes, you do boy! No one else in that bar would be so bold as to pull a prank on me. Do you even know who you are dealing with?” Zarkon asked and Lance nodded.

“You’re Zarkon! Married to Honerva and the father of one son!” Lance said in a panic and for a second, he saw fear cross Zarkon’s face before he dropped Lance ad the world faded back in. The bar emerged around them as though nothing had happened. Lance panted for a second before bolting. Zarkon cried out, “Stop! Get back here!” before dashing forward after him. Lance threw open the door right as Zarkon grabbed him and threw him against the bar, knocking over the soda and another man’s drink, forcing himself between Lance’s legs as he kicked and screamed. Zarkon growled and grabbed Lance’s neck and began to squeeze. Lance gagged and gasped and clawed at the large hand crushing his windpipe, but he was losing the fight. Right before he passed out, Zarkon released his neck and lifted his body off of the bar and over his shoulder. Lance panted and fought, but it did no good as Zarkon carried him through the bar to the backroom and then from the backroom out the back, down and alley to a parked car where a driver stood waiting. Lance called to him, begging for help. The man merely blinked before opening the car door where Lance was unceremoniously thrown into. Zarkon climbed in after and held Lance face down in the seat, his large body being too much for Lance to push against. In both worlds, Lance stood no chance against this man. 

The bartender had followed them out and leaned into the car to talk to zarkon, saying, “Sir, this boy has friends coming to pick him up. He called them right before you arrived. If you kidnap him, it’ll cause you far more issues then just letting him go.” Zarkon snarled at the man, but didn’t let Lance go.

“Call the cleanup crew to doctor the footage of the cameras. Make it look like he just left or something of the like. I’ll return him when he loses my interest.” Zarkon explained and the bartender sighed, closing the door and walking away. Lance reached for him but it was useless. The car pulled away from the curb and began to drive away. Zarkon released him and he dove to the other door, hoping to open in and dive out, but was grabbed around the neck again by strong arms. Slowly he began to fall asleep. The last thing he registered before passing out completely was Hunk climbing out of his car with Pidge trailing behind. He just missed them.

Then he woke up.

Soft light drifted through a small round window and made Lance’s aching body feel warm. The gentle rocking of the boat lulled his anxious body as he slowly woke up from such a harsh sleep. Visions of a young and Human Zarkon kidnapping him had him shivering in the heat, He tried to sit up, but an arm gripped him and held him down. Fear struck him instantly and he shrieked and jumped from the bed, falling onto his ass harshly. Instantly, Keith was awake, his eyes wide and fearful. His body, where Lance’s had just been. Lance panted and Keith lunged to his side.

“Lance! Are you okay! What happened?” Keith asked, gently holding Lance’s shoulders. Lance just sighed.

“I… I thought you were Zarkon is all.” Lance explained and Keith looked at him fearful before looking sad.

“Zarkon isn’t here. You’re safe.” Keith said and Lance sighed. He knew he was safe, yet somehow he didn’t feel so.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance meets some friends and wakes up to danger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy howdy has my life been thrown through the blender. It took me a while to get this written because of it. Plus i have no internet where I live rn and won't be having it for a while longer. So, here is the latest chapter. Let me know what you think and I hope to update again soon if my life will allow for it.

Beneath

Lance’s scream had drawn the rest of the Paladin’s to the small room of the boat where Lance and Keith had been sleeping. Lance jumped and shrieked for the second time when Shiro’s large, concerned form burst through the door with violent intent that was immediately quelled upon seeing no threat.

“Lance! Are you okay?” Shiro asked, pushing his way over and kneeling in front of the blanket clad boy. Lance panted slightly and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” Lance said and Keith groaned, rolling his eyes.

“No, he isn’t. He had a nightmare about being with Zarkon. He’s really scared.” Keith said and Lance glared at him, but Shiro just smiled kindly and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“How do you know it was about Zarkon, Keith?” Shiro asked and Keith huffed.

“Because he kept begging Zarkon to stop and leave him alone. He used his name while crying.” Keith said and Lance stiffened beside him, face narrowing slightly in anger. He didn’t want everyone around him to know about Zarkon, or about how Haxus had treated him. He was sure they already knew, based on his nakedness and the way he acted upon being brought on the ship in the first place, but he didn’t want to relive it or have them knowing even more. He glanced up at Shiro whose expression hadn’t changed.

“There are clothes on that chair at the foot of the bed. Coran brought them to you while you were asleep.” Shiro said standing up and then closed the door behind him as he left, the other Paladin’s walking away with him. Lance sighed and sat for a minute before deciding to get dressed. Keith bolted into action and dashed to grab the clothes when Lance made a move towards them. Lance growled slightly, not wanting to be babied, but thanked Keith anyways and pulled the pants over his legs and the black and red tank top over his head. Keith waited by the foot of the bed, not saying anything, but clearly worried about Lance and all the things he had been forced to watch. Lance could tell what was on his mind just by the almost tear-filled glances he kept tossing at Lance. He wanted so badly to speak about it but held his tongue. Lance was grateful for his silence.

Once done getting dressed, Keith helped Lance to the door and up the stairs, the lanky boy hobbling along awkwardly as he tried to figure out where to shift his weight so he could hop up the shifting stair case. Keith was very patient. He did his best to direct Lance as to when to lean against him or the railing and, even though Lance was very much upset over Keith telling the world his nightmares, he was so grateful that Keith was being as soft and kind as he was. Lance leaned into Keith as he panted, the stairs finally waning on his body. Keith pulled him into his body and whispered into his ear, “Don’t give up. You’re doing great. Just a few more stairs.” Lance nodded and pushed forward until they reached the top and he felt the outside air.  
The air outside was hot, muggy, and heavy. Lance didn’t mind so much anymore and took a huge, deep breath of air. He almost wanted to cry. It was the first time in ages he had been able to breath deeply without it been from screaming or crying. Keith leaned him against the side of the boat and let Lance use it to hold himself up. Lance groaned and growled as he tried to keep from falling over. Keith stood behind him and held him up slightly to keep him steady. Shiro noticed him trying to catch his balance and strutted over quickly, pulling Lance into his arms and guiding him to a chair to sit. Lance didn’t protest at all, just let it happen.

The boat wasn’t moving anymore. Just rocking back and forth in the water where it sat, so none of the crew were doing much so Lance was alone with Shiro. For a moment it was quiet aside from the shifting of water and wind, the slight call of birds, but Shiro broke the silence.

“You know, when I was much younger, I was taken captive as a slave for Zarkon. He found me uninteresting and threw me into a pit to fight. When I became undefeated, that grabbed his attention. I was taken to his throne room one night and forced to disrobe for him. He surveyed me and was less than pleased. I wasn’t thin enough for his taste so I was awarded to his favorite and strongest soldier, Sendak, who didn’t care about my size at all. He wanted a bed mate who would be a challenge, not some pretty waif who couldn’t survive the night.” Shiro said and Lance stared at him.

“Were you…?” Lance asked, unable to fully form the words he wanted. Shiro nodded, not smiling anymore.

“Most definitely. I still have horrible scars from it and, much like you, a missing limb. I spent the majority of the day after that first night crying. My body hurt, I was angry, I was scared, but nothing changed my situation at all. And Sendak came back, molding me to be the perfect mate. Which worked for a while.” Shiro continued then paused. Lance swallowed hard, his hands shaking.

“How did you escape?” Lance asked. Shiro sighed and looked out at the soft waves of the submerged earth. There was silence between them and nothing but the hot air and the movement of the water made noise for a beat before Shiro finally said, “I let him think I was good and complacent in my new role. When I did he removed my usual security and that helped. The last piece I needed was when he took me out and around the building. I learned the movement of everyone else and used that to escape. I stole a boat and paddled out.”

There was a bitterness to Shiro’s voice. Lance could tell he wasn’t at all over the events. Lance just knew that as Shiro spoke and looked out at the murky moving water, that the events were being replayed in his head as vividly as the day it actually happened. Lance looked at his missing leg and tears formed in his eyes as the images of all that happened played through his own mind. His breathing sped up and he clenched his eyes shut tight. Lance didn’t want to be there or anywhere anymore. The world was falling in on him and he was scared.

Then Shiro touched his hair and Lance jumped back to reality. Shiro smiled softly at him and rubbed his hair and Lance felt a tear slip down his face,

“Don’t worry, everything is fine. Your world has been upturned greatly, but you are safe, okay?” Shiro comforted and Lance nodded, his stomach still reeling and tight. Still, as he looked out over the waves, he knew he was safe for at least now. Images of Zarkon as a person shrouded in the darkness of space next to him haunted his mind as he feared falling asleep, but, with a deep breath, he decided to just be safe here while he could. If he became too overwhelmed, Shiro understood the worst of his fears right now and he could turn to him and Keith. Shiro patted him again and walked away. Lance watched him go and Keith trotted over to him, with Allura and Lotor in tow. Lance scowled and pulled into himself a little as Lotor got closer. Lance didn’t like him. Lotor made Lance uneasy. He reminded him too much of Zarkon. Lance just knew he had ambitions and wanted power and would do anything to get it. He could feel it. It emanated off him. Lance shook his head. Maybe it was just his feelings about the galra since they hadn’t exactly given him any reason to trust them. Lance exhaled. He would decide if he was paranoid or not later.

“How did your talk with Shiro go?” Keith asked. Lance smiled a little at him, but Keith could see right through him.

“It went okay.” Lance said and Keith knew he wasn’t in the mood to talk about it right now. 

“Okay is better than you were, I’d say.” Allura said cheerily and Lance smiled at her too. Lotor spoke next and Lance couldn’t smile at him.

“Yes, and the next news should make you feel even better.” Lotor stated, his regality shining through his tone. His arm reached around Allura’s back gently, and almost romantically. Lance did not like the gesture. His mind flashed to the gentle touches of Zarkon and Haxus, but he said nothing on it.

“What news?” Lance asked. Keith opened his mouth to speak, but Lotor unhanded Allura and pushed past Keith. Lance saw the anger pass across Keith’s features, but was pulled away when Lotor said, “We will be docking soon at our own current HQ, as I have been instructed to call it, and once there you will be fitted with a new leg by our engineers. You’ll gain your mobility back and become a valuable asset in our fight to overthrow the Galra in power.” Lance stood agape at this and Keith finally did something.

He pushed Lotor hard away from Lance.

Lotor and Allura looked startled as Keith put himself between Lance and Lotor.

“Listen, Lance isn’t an asset and he doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to do. If he wants a new leg, then he will have one, if he wants to help us he can, but that’s his choice!” Keith growled and Lance saw Lotor become almost enraged and his princely visage melt away. Lance sucked in a breath, scared now but knew he had to do something before it escalated further, so he pushed himself away from the seat he had been placed in and tried to grab at Keith, but to his great dismay, he fell. Keith was too slow and instead of being grabbed by someone he had come to trust, he fell into Lotor’s arms. Instantly the fighting stopped and Lotor scooped Lance up into his arms. Keith stood stiff for a second as Lance’s face blushed bright red in embarrassment. He glanced to Keith for assistance but the boy looked upset and he walked away. Lotor scowled as he did and stood Lance back up.

“That boy has anger to work through more than anyone else here.” Lotor said and Allura sighed.

“Keith has gone through quite a bit and is struggling. He was far worse before. Be kind that he has made the progress he has,” Allura chastised and Lotor nodded. 

“I suppose.” Lotor stated, glaring after Keith and still holding onto Lance. It was possessive. Lance didn’t like it, but he didn’t like how Lotor looked at Keith more.

“Hey, Keith is a real good guy. He’s trying his hardest you know…” Lance said and Lotor seemed to jerk out of his aggression. He looked down at Lance.

“You may be right, darling.” Lotor said and then placed Lance back into the chair. Lance was grateful. The mixture of Lotor holding onto him too tightly, too familiarly, and the rocking of the boat in the water had him feeling queasy. Lance sighed, finally able to rest as the crew around him began to start working again. They were setting sail again to this HQ that Lotor had mentioned where he was to be fitted with a new leg.  
…  
Lance wasn’t sure how he felt about that at all. He still hadn’t come to terms with losing it in the first place. Hell, he was still attempting to pretend he hadn’t lost it in the first place. Lance sighed. This was all too much and he had just woken up.

Then Lotor leaned in front of him and Lance jolted. He had forgotten Lotor was there at all which made Lance very unnerved. Something about Lotor made his stomach clench in fear.

“Lance, I wasn’t trying to imply earlier that you were some token to be used in war. While I do believe you would make a grand ally, you aren’t just that. You can decide what you want with us. A new leg, or no. Training, or no. Fighting for freedom or no. It is up to you; however, your help would be far too invaluable for me not to try and convince you to fight with us. A person who couldn’t die from any wounds would be a great help to our cause, but from what I’ve been told about your situation, I can understand why you wouldn’t want to help. In the end, it is your choice. Hopefully, you’ll make the right one for us all.” Lotor said. Lance stayed silent the whole time. Lotor didn’t seem to be the kind of person who was okay with being interrupted. Not that Lance really cared, but if Lotor got mad, Lance wanted to avoid a third galra hurting him badly. Lotor didn’t wait to hear his answer and stood promptly to leave, but before leaving, he squeezed Lance’s leg with a strange amount of ownership and Lance was again super uncomfortable.

Keith had just been waiting for Lotor to leave it seemed because he strutted over and plopped himself down beside Lance. Keith didn’t look happy at all. Lance smirked at him.

“What’s wrong Keith? Not a fan of Lotor?” Lance asked teasing and Keith growled.

“Not in the slightest.” Keith answered scoffing. Lance chuckled.

“Aww, why not? He seems so personable.” Lance said, laughing a little. Keith rolled his eyes.

“Oh yeah. Mr raised as royalty is totally relatable.” Keith said, a joking tune to his voice and Lance laughed again.

“Totally.” Lance said and smiled at Keith who peaked up at him and blushed slightly before looking away. Lance frowned and became nervous.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Lance asked and Keith sighed.

“That’s the first time you’ve smiled in a long time…” Keith stated and Lance halted. He didn’t know how to feel about this revelation. He leaned back in his chair and frowned. Keith stared at him for a second before growling and standing quickly.

“Sorry Lance, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted to come tell you that, no matter what Lotor said, you get to choose your life. I’ll protect you as best I can no matter the circumstances. Okay?” Keith said then turned curtly and walked away. Lance watched him leave then smiled again. He was suddenly content with just letting the boat move through the water for some time.

Lance began to sort of doze as the day went on this boat felt completely different from the last one he had been on and the sway made him dreary instead of on edge. He began to blink blearily as his mind faded into unconsciousness until the boat bumped into a hard surface and jolted Lance into wakefulness. Keith dashed over to him and pulled him to stand as everyone was running about tending to the boat.

“What’s going on?” Lance asked, still hazy. The warm air clung to him and his mind was pulling him into the vastness of space with the urge of sleep. 

“We are back at home now. I’m taking you to meet our engineers now that we’ve docked.” Keith explained and drug Lance across the deck to a plank ramp that led down to a pier. Lance looked out past the pier to see a group of buildings on stilts with bridges connecting all of them. Small children ran across them and adults carried food or weapons or tools. To Lance, the sight reminded him of when he visited his brother in Louisiana. Boggy, but still homey. It made Lance smile and pulled him even further from sleep.

They finally made it to the dock where there were two individuals waiting for them with a wheelchair. One with full doctor’s gear and another in a long leather apron. Lance froze at the sight of them and they too froze. Keith helped Lance sit down and gestured to the two before him.

“Lance, this is our engineers. They were told beforehand that you would be coming with us and about what happened. What Lotor knew, we knew.” Keith said and looked back to the two-star struck before him.

“D…Did you say…Lance?” One, the shorter, asked through her mask. Keith nodded, suddenly feeling confused. Lance stared at her, recognition in his mind. Who is this? She tore off her mask and ran to him, throwing her arms around him. He jumped at her sudden burst of affection and tears, her long hair smothering Lance’s face and features as she cried. Lance gasped and shook, scared but also not. He knew this woman, but he couldn’t place her at all.

“Who are you?” Lance asked and she sobbed harder.

“I… I guess you wouldn’t recognize me after a hundred years have passed even though I look barely any different…” She said and that’s when he realized.

The light brown hair, the glasses, taller than before but still short, Lance knew.

“Pidge?” Lance asked and finally, she pulled away. Her face was so happy but streaked with tears. Lance glanced back at the other who was just standing there frozen. Pidge stood and glanced back at him as well.

“Hunk, its okay, you can take off your mask too.” She said and the other did as he was told, slowly. And there, just like with Pidge, was Hunk. Slightly older and having seen more, but still Hunk. Lance began to cry as he saw his friend. He wanted a hug from him so badly that he tried to stand. Hunk dashed over and Lance fell right into his arms and they were both crying.

“I thought you died! I watched you die! How are you here?” Hunk asked sobbing and Lance laughed, crying too.

“I don’t know! I have no idea, but I am so happy to see you.” Lance said and buried his face into Hunk’s very strong chest. Hunk just squeezed him like a lost puppy, holding him tightly as if he was scared of losing him.

Pidge wiped her face and stood next to Keith who had been standing quietly, awkwardly. Pidge laughed and nudged him.

“Bet you didn’t expect this to be a family reunion, did you?” Pidge asked and Keith shook his head.

“How do you guys know each other?” Keith asked, very concerned. Pidge sighed.

“I never lied to you, I am old enough to have seen when everything changed. I helped build and fortify all the colonies on the planet. Me and Hunk did. I told you I was like a century old.” Pidge explained and Keith scoffed.

“I thought you were being trite. Nothing you say ever sounds true. And Hunk never said anything about this.” Keith responded and Pidge looked at him.

“You seem to be taking this rather well.” Pidge stated and Keith nodded.

“Lance already blew my mind with his age, so it couldn’t be too hard for others to be as old as him. Zarkon is, so why not you?” Keith said then paused, collecting his thoughts.

“How did you live so long?” He asked, looking directly at her. Pidge smiled.

“Right after Lance died, a ball of energy exploded in front of us and went in many directions. A piece went through me and went through Hunk. Since then we’ve just been alive. We aged a bit but not much. I barely look old enough to be twenty-five, and yet I’m over a hundred. I’m not sure the exact age, I lost track ages ago. Not that it matters. What does matter is that Hunk and I are here and have a great amount of knowledge we gained over the course of our ancient lives.” She explained and Keith nodded. It was just like with Zarkon.  
Lance looked back at Pidge, his body vibrating almost with understanding. He knew that story, he remembered those events. But, how? He wasn’t sure at all. It didn’t matter, he had Hunk and Pidge again. That was all he cared about.

Hunk stood and lifted Lance into his arms with ease, as if he were an infant. Lance let him. He loved feeling the strength Hunk always had, and he held him tightly.

“So, lets get you inside and in a bedroom before we decide to talk about getting you a knew leg.” Pidge said and Lance nodded. Hunk put him in the chair and they wheeled him up the dock onto the expanse of bridges. Lance wanted to memorize where he was and how the all fit together, but his body became heavy and he felt sleep calling him again. He blinked blearily as the heat soothed him into slumber.

And then he woke up.

Lance felt someone petting his hair very gently. It was nice, but Lance had a nagging feeling that he was in danger. He blinked and pushed himself up away from the person petting him. He looked around. Lance was in a lavish room on a soft bed, none of which he had ever seen. Lance scowled and turned back to the person who had been petting him and that was when fear set in and he pushed away as far as he could go. The thin cord attached to a collar on his neck prevented him form straying too far. Zarkon laughed at him but didn’t move away. Lance began to hyperventilate.

“Where am I? Why am I here?” Lance asked, scared.

“You did something strange before to me. Creating space around just the two of us? Knowing about my son and wife? All strange things. And I value the strange that can advance me further. My son was just born and my wife just vanished this morning. You have knowledge of the future then and you’ll be my pawn in helping me advance.” Zarkon explained. Lance shook his head.

“I don’t know as much as you might think. I only know about Honerva leaving because you told me.” Lance said and Zarkon frowned.

“I haven’t spoken but a few words to you.” Zarkon stated, a threat against his teeth. Lance shook his head.

“You in the future I guess. We only interacted a short time, but you told me about how I reminded you of her and how you worked in the military. That’s it.” Lance explained and Zarkon laughed slightly.

“I can see why I would say that. Your skin is a smooth and pretty as hers is, your eyes look like hers too, blue and vast. Hers were cold though, always looking for answers. Yours seem far freer.” Zarkon said and then leaned in to kiss Lance who immediately began to fight and flail. Zarkon held him down and forced the kiss to deepen. Lance cried. His chest filled with fear.

Then, Zarkon pulled away. Lance scooted back against the headboard and panted in anger and fear. Zarkon laughed.

“You do remind me of her. After a while, she too became angry with me.” Zarkon said walking to the door. Lance just glared. Zarkon smiled and said, “I’ll be back shortly and you’ll give me a fun time and then I’ll release you. You will be followed and if anything, strange happens again or it looks like you have knowledge you are keeping from me, or you tell anyone about our encounter, then you will be taken and brought right back to me.” And then he left the room. Lance threw himself into the pillows after a beat and sobbed angrily. Another night with Zarkon. Another time where his body is being torn open and hurt. He didn’t want this, but what would prevent it?


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance escapes a situation and gets a grasp on some of his abilities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot quicker this time! Like I said, things get better for Lance. I don't intend to hurt him much from here on. Anyways, the next chapter may be a bit longer of a wait, but it will be here soon! Thank you for your patients!

Beneath

Lance sat with his knees pulled to his chest, rocking back and forth and shaking greatly. He couldn’t go through this again. His hands shivered in fear as the time passed in his heat of panic. Zarkon would be back and Lance wasn’t sure when.

He didn’t have to wait long at all though because soon Zarkon returned exactly as he had left. Lance began to hyperventilate slightly when Zarkon walked towards him, smiling.

“It seems like you’ve been expecting me.” Zarkon joked and then grabbed Lance around the neck pushing him roughly to the bed. Lance gasped and clawed at Zarkon’s much larger hand. Zarkon laughed out loud and used his other hand to tear off the shirt from Lance’s body, the fibers becoming threads under the force and Lance hollered out. Zarkon squeezed his throat tighter and cut off his air supply, making his eyes water, making his fighting weaker. Lance let the tears fall down his cheeks as his pants were pulled down his thighs.

“I…I can’t go… through… this again…” Lance said out loud but to himself and that was when he felt the change.

Starting from the hand that was around his throat, Lance’s body became black as the night sky. His freckles glowed, and his eyes shown like stars in the night. Zarkon released him and dove backwards but that didn’t stop the spread. It continued until Lance’s body was a nebula. Lance began to pant erratically and attempted to pull his knees into his chest but instead he fell into his boy and spiraled into oblivion leaving Zarkon alone in the room, confused and rather fearful for maybe the first time in his life.

Then, Lance opened his eyes to see a vast empty space of blackness with sparse speckles of light just as his skin had been moments ago. Lance could feel a strange fear all around him and in him and he heard a strange voice that consumed his body.

“You shouldn’t have come here” 

“It was wrong”

“Things could change for the worst if you come here again”

“Situations have to happen” 

“You can’t just change things because you are scared”

There were so many voices, all the same yet different and they were all yelling at the same time. Lance had to cover his ears.

“Shut up!” Lance yelled, and the voices quieted down.

“Listen, I don’t know what I did! And frankly, I’m sick and tired of these weird things happening to me!” Lance yelled out to the void. The space around him shook, unnerved.

“Things happen.”

“They have to happen, or time won’t follow a linear path.” 

“There will be paradoxes”

“You meeting Zarkon in that time was wrong”

“Your avoidance of Zarkon in that time was wrong”

“You’ve been caught up in something grand and you could destroy it all with one fearful decision”

The voices rang fearful again and Lance growled.

“I don’t rightly care anymore! I’ve been nearly eaten twice, kidnapped, beaten, tortured, had my leg cut off, and assaulted! So, forgive me if I’m not too interested in what could or couldn’t happen to the time or whatever!” Lance yelled at them and the space vibrated in a comforting knowing.

“It is understood”

“But things have to be like this.”

“It can’t be explained to you”

“The knowledge will come in time”

“Keep your power just to you”

They all cooed, and Lance clenched his fists. He was angry and scared, but somehow, he knew whatever these voices were, that they were right. They must have felt his apprehension because they shivered again in understanding.

“Zarkon could gain your power instead and all would fall apart”

“It wouldn’t be a sunken world of fear and hope”

“It would be barren and dry”

“Here, in this time, you have the power to save lives”

“Use it and prevent Zarkon from becoming ultimately powerful”

“His ambition will kill all if not stopped by you and your decisions”

The voices shook with fear, as if they shouldn’t have revealed this information. Lance swallowed hard and nodded. He couldn’t bear to know what Zarkon, an already powerful human, would do if he could do… whatever Lance was currently doing. Affecting time? Space? Lance wasn’t sure. What he was sure about was his need to go home. He sighed and let his body become stars and nebula again, bending into itself and heading exactly where he wanted to go.

 

Hunk had been pacing, on hold with the police for half an hour and he was beginning to chew his fingers to bleeding. Pidge held herself tight as she watched Hunk pace nervously across the floor. Lance had been missing for over a day and the police kept claiming that they were working on it, but Hunk felt sure that they weren’t. Pidge sighed.

“Hunk, I don’t think they’re gonna help us…” Pidge said, and Hunk smashed his hands against the table hard, dropping his phone in the process.

“What if he’s hurt! What if he’s been kidnapped or sold into slavery or… or … I don’t know Pidge! He could be dead!” Hunk howled at her, clearly sobbing. Pidge clenched her fists and held back her tears as best she could, but she too was close to crying.

“I know Hunk! I’m scared too!” She yelled, and Hunk inhaled to yell, but then Lance fell onto the floor from the middle of the air with an “Oof.” Both Hunk and Pidge turned to see him sit up, hand on his head with a groan.

“Lance?”

“Lance!”

Both Hunk and Pidge dashed over to him and began to check him over before each throwing their arms around him, sobbing with joy at his safety.

“Hey! Guys! I’m alright! You don’t have to smother me!” Lance said, smiling, also crying. Pidge and Hunk scooted back to give him some space.

“Lance! Where did you go? How did you get back? Did you fall through the ceiling? There isn’t a hole?” Hunk rapid fire questioned. Lance smiled and sighed.

“I guess we should talk…” Lance said, and both nodded at him.

The three piled in Lance’s bed where he was comfortable, and they waited until Lance was ready. That took a while because none of this sounded sane, but Lance finally took a deep breath.

“I think I’m a time traveler or something.” Lance stated directly. Pidge and Hunk shared a worried but knowing look between them then looked back at Lance.

“We… are listening…” Pidge said.

“Well, one night I went to sleep and when I woke up, I was on a boat with this guy named Keith. He explained that like a hundred years before the world got submerged and very few people survived. Some kind of beast flooded everything. So, everyone tried their best to live but some guy named Zarkon began causing all kinds of trouble by creating factions and forcibly mutating people with the weird water. So many bad things happened when I met him… But I’ve been traveling back and forth between the two times whenever I go to sleep. Then, I went to that bar to borrow their phone and call you… and I met Zarkon from before he became the monster I saw him as… and… I don’t know… I think I pulled him into like a pocket dimension I made to retreat when I’m scared? I have no idea, but he saw it and kidnapped me. He… He was going to hurt me… So, I decided I wasn’t going to let him, and I vanished to here.” Lance summarized. Pidge and Hunk shared that look again and all went quiet.

“Lance… That seems a bit…” Hunk started.

“Science fiction.” Pidge finished, and Lance laughed nervously.

“Oh, I know how it sounds. That’s why it took me so long to say anything to you guys. I’m not crazy. You saw me fall into our kitchen out of thin air. And Zarkon! Zarkon saw me turn into SPACE and vanish in front of him! That’s three whole people who have seen me do crazy things! …At least in this time line…” Lance shouted, and Pidge nodded.

“Listen Lance, I believe you, but if what you say is true, then you’re in danger. Some guy kidnapped you? Could he still be looking for you? And if this shit is happening when you sleep too then isn’t it dangerous to fall asleep?” Pidge asked, sounding genuinely curious. Lance sighed.

“I think he might come looking for me, but I hope he doesn’t. And I don’t have a choice but to sleep, I think. That’s why I passed out before, because I got woken up over there before, I was asleep here.” Lance explained further, and Pidge groaned.

“So, you can’t control it?” Hunk asked, and Lance shook his head.

“I don’t think so, but I think I’m learning about it more. I think I might have control soon ish.” Lance said, and Pidge laughed out loud. Both Lance and Hunk glowered at her.

“What? Lance isn’t exactly known for his control. That’s why he wasn’t allowed to play volleyball after he showed he had no skill and control.” Pidge joked and pushed Lance who laughed a little.

“Well, I’ve been able to move through space twice now. Maybe I can do it again?” Lance said. Pidge scoffed and leaned back.

“Oh yeah? Then let’s see it Space Master.” Pidge joked, and Lance glared.

“Alright fine!” Lance said and closed his eyes. His mind instantly brought up images of when he had been hurt. Hurt by that beast with glass teeth, Hurt by Zarkon, Haxus, Sendak. His body began to shake as panic set in.

“I don’t want to be here…” Lance whispered, and his body changed again, this time far faster and he was sucked into his own body and vanished. Pidge and Hunk gasped and watched for a second before hearing anther “Oof” From the kitchen. They both turned around and watched Lance sprint into the bedroom.

“See! I can control at least this part!” Lance said, clearly excited. Hunk ran his hand through his hair and huffed.

“This is so strange and amazing Lance! You can move through space without walking! How did you do that?!” Hunk asked, grabbing Lance by the arms excitedly.

“Hunk I have zero idea!” Lance said just as excitedly. Pidge wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tight, laughing loudly.

“You’re a super hero or something Lance!” She said happily, and Lance laughed.

But good things come to an end.

Lance was smiling and laughing and having a good time, his day going rather well considering he had just escaped being kidnapped, when he became drowsy and his energy left him. Hunk grabbed him and held him up, suddenly scared. Lance chuckled and patted his arm.

“S okay… This… just happens… sm time…” Lance said, going completely limp. His eyes fluttered, and he felt his body shifting in Hunk’s arms and then everything faded to black.

Then Lance woke up.

He was on a table, firm and cold and his hands were in cuffs attached to it. Lance tried to move but found he couldn’t. Memories of the last time he’d been chained down on a table like this flooded his mind and Lance screamed and thrashed around, fearful that the druids had captured him again, but Pidge was suddenly in front of his crying form.

“Lance! Lance! It’s okay! I’m right here!” Older Pidge said, running her hand through Lance’s hair. Lance blinked, tears falling onto the metal beneath him.

“Pidge?” He asked, and she nodded. Lance looked around and asked, “Why am I tied down like this? What’s going on?” She sighed.

“Well, your anatomy isn’t like ours anymore. You heal at an impossible rate. So, I had to check you out. Not experiment or anything, but just see if I could find out why so I could fix the leg Hunk built for you. But, if you woke up while I was looking you over, I didn’t want you to hurt yourself in a panic, so I had you restrained.” Pidge explained and began undoing the cuffs. Lance bolted away from the table immediately and fell onto the floor with a thud.

“You didn’t have to do that Pidge.” Lance said sternly, and Pidge shook her head.

“I know you are scared, but you aren’t a human anymore and because of that I can’t risk hurting you or us in anyway. I love you dearly, I always have, but I’m not willing to lose you or anyone here because I wasn’t careful.” Pidge explained, and Lance held his wrist, scared but understanding.

“If you want a new leg, we’ll have to do the procedure far faster and with more precision than with a person. All my scans show that you have a level of regeneration unlike anyone I’ve ever seen, so if we don’t work fast then you’ll just heal up before we get anything done. Because of your regeneration, you won’t be able to use painkillers at all. You’ll just metabolize it and we don’t have enough to keep you drugged. If we go through with the procedure, you’ll be in pain the whole time and there is no guarantee it’ll work, but ultimately, the decision is up to you.” Pidge said. Lance looked at the floor beneath him. 

“I’ll need a minute Pidge.” Lance said, and Pidge nodded. She walked over to him, patted his head reassuringly, then left the room through a squeaky door. Lance rubbed his arms and sighed. Lance wasn’t sure what he should he do.


End file.
